


Dreams are made of cotton candy

by Eriskay



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Amusement Park, Dancing, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Roller Coasters, Romance, Summer Romance, eventually
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-25
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-06 21:29:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 22,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16395440
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eriskay/pseuds/Eriskay
Summary: Viktor works in an amusement park at the tallest, most daunting roller coaster. Yuuri is terrified of heights. Cue a ridiculous summer of mutual pining featuring awkward beginnings, meddling friends and a romance as sweet as cotton candy. Did someone say emotional roller coaster?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> written for the [victuri big bang](https://victuri-big-bang.tumblr.com/) in collaboration with [greygerbil](http://greygerbil.tumblr.com/) who has made absolutely wonderful art for this project. please go and give her lots of love for [her fantastic work!](http://greygerbil.tumblr.com/post/179440876146/yuuri-meets-the-man-of-his-dreams-at-the-top-of-a) ♥♥♥
> 
> many thanks to my absolutely wonderful beta – for you, I'd ride the most terrifying roller coaster any day. ❤
> 
> also – any likeness between Northolm and certain real cities with arguably similar names and locally famous amusement parks is completely intentional.

Yuuri was leaning against the railing, his eyes closed.

He had always loved the sea. The smell of salt in the air, the steady sound of waves crashing onto the shore. When Yuuri had first moved from Hasetsu, the sea was one of the things he had found himself missing the most. Not that he hadn’t missed his family – he had. Immensely. Yuuri had missed his mother’s constant encouragement, and his sister’s incessant but affectionate teasing, and his father’s fairly mediocre attempts at jokes. He’d missed all of them so much that it physically hurt. But even so, the absence of salt in the air in the city of Detroit had somehow gotten under Yuuri’s skin in a way he had never imagined it could. It was something he’d thought back on during his many sleepless nights, back when he’d still wondered whether or not it had been the right decision to just go, and leave everything behind.

Yuuri took a deep breath, filling his lungs with fresh, salty, familiar air. Then he opened his eyes, half expecting to see Hasetsu right there before him, the docks framed by the familiar streets and buildings of the town creating a breathtaking picture with the hill right beyond, the silhouette of the castle only just visible in the distance.

He didn’t.

Instead, there was an unknown coastal town, with strange looking buildings and completely unfamiliar docks. Surrounding the town, and by extension also surrounding the ferry that Yuuri was on, there were islands. So many islands. Yuuri felt like they must have passed by a thousand little islands as they got closer to the coast, but that might actually have been a low estimate.

Everywhere Yuuri looked, there was another shore, another landmass blocking the view of the open ocean. The smell of the sea was everywhere, but the appearance of it was nowhere to be found.

Perhaps it shouldn’t have surprised Yuuri that the town of Northolm was quite different from Hasetsu. And perhaps it hadn’t. But that wasn’t going to stop Yuuri from feeling a bit disappointed.

Still, it would have to do. At least for a while. It wasn’t like Yuuri could just go home. Not now.

Not yet.

Besides, some of the people Yuuri had spent the past four years missing weren’t even in Hasetsu, anymore.

“Yuuri!”

Yuuri looked up. The ferry was finally approaching the shore, where a dock had come into view. There was a small group of people gathered there, no doubt waiting for the ferry to arrive. Yuuri couldn’t help but lean forwards a bit as he searched through the crowd, eagerly trying to spot-

Ah. There she was.

Yuuko looked just like Yuuri remembered her – reddish-brown hair put up in a messy ponytail, dark brown eyes full of warmth and a smile as bright as the sun.

Yuuri hadn’t taken more than two steps on land before Yuuko was right there, pulling him into a tight embrace.

“Oh, Yuuri! It’s so good to see you!” Yuuko stepped back only just enough to study Yuuri’s face, her eyes wide. “Oh my, Yuuri – you’re actually all grown up now, aren’t you?”

“Well, I’m certainly not nineteen anymore,” Yuuri agreed softly, delighting in the way that Yuuko’s smile widened just so. God, he had missed her. “And should you really be saying that? You have three children.”

“That makes me sound really old, doesn’t it?” Yuuko wrinkled her nose. “Oh well. It’ll at least be awhile before I’m a grandmother.”

“How old are the triplets, now?”

“Six,” Yuuko said, somehow making it sound like the word personally offended her. “Which is a very trying age, as it turns out. You’ll see for yourself, soon – come on, let’s get to my truck. That’s all your luggage?”

“Ah, yes.” Yuuri self-consciously pulled up the handle of his suitcase. It was a decently sized one, but that really didn’t change the fact that he had somehow been able to pack everything he needed for the whole summer in a single bag. “I had most of the things from my dorm room boxed up, and put into storage. I guess I’ll send for it eventually. When I get everything a little more figured out.”

“You didn’t have anything delivered to Hasetsu, then?”

“Just a couple of things.” Yuuri attempted a shrug. It didn’t go very well. “A few souvenirs, for my family.”

“Oh, Yuuri.” Yuuko’s smile softened. “Please tell me you’ll finally be going home yourself, at least for a visit? After this summer, I mean.”

“I’m thinking about it, yes.”

“They’ll want to see you, I’m sure.” Yuuko’s careful tone was as kind as ever. “They must be so proud of you.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” Yuuri cleared his throat, desperately trying to think of something else to talk about – anything else, really. “So, how far is it from here to your family’s house?”

“Only ten minutes or so. Come on, we can talk more during the drive.”

Yuuko helped Yuuri heave his suitcase into the back of her truck, and then they were off. Yuuri spent most of the drive listening to Yuuko’s anecdotes about the various places they passed by. Northolm really was an unusual little town. The islands closest to the coast were much larger than those furthest out in the archipelago – large enough to have entire town districts built on them. Bridges connected the islands to each other and to the mainland, creating an interesting picture of land and water, intertwined.

“That’s the oldest part of Northolm,” Yuuko said, gesturing across the water on their left towards a row of quaint little buildings along a cobblestone street. “Behind it, on the next island over, is the park.”

“The park?”

“The amusement park,” Yuuko clarified. “I haven’t mentioned it? Land of Dreams.”

“Right,” Yuuri said, because that did ring a bell. “That’s the place that attracts all the tourists to Northolm, who then also stop by your shop?”

“That is precisely what it is,” Yuuko confirmed, grinning. “Which is why we like the park. We like the park very much.”

“Do the triplets like the park?”

“Like it? They’re _obsessed_ with it.” Yuuko rolled her eyes, yet she was smiling fondly. “Despite the fact that they’re still not tall enough to ride anything other than the kids stuff. They’d be at the park every single day, if they could, but I really can’t take them that often. Some of us have to work.”

“I suppose work keeps you very busy, at this time of year?”

“I mean, it’s alright.” Yuuko shrugged. “All in all, not a bad time to be in the ice cream business. There’s been plenty of sunny days. We could do with a few more tourists, though.”

Yuuko turned right onto a smaller street. Evidently, they had left the most central parts of the town. Now they were driving through what had to be a residential area, with colourful little houses and the occasional white picket fence. Yuuko turned right again, pulling up in front of one of the smallest houses along the whole street, painted red with white corners.

“Here we are! Come on, I’ll help you with your bag.”

Yuuri had only taken one step across the threshold of the house before he was tackled by three tiny, brown-haired tornadoes. He only _just_ kept his balance.

“Yuuri!”

“Mom said you’re coming to the park with us tomorrow! Is that true?”

“You have to ride the Flip! It’s the coolest! We’ll show you everything, Yuuri!”

“Girls, where are your manners?” Yuuko asked, her tone sharp. “Let our guest come inside, at least, before you attack.”

The girls reluctantly took a tiny step backwards, yet they were still _very_ close, in Yuuri’s opinion. One of them was even holding Yuuri’s hand – maybe Loop? Or was it Lutz? Yuuri took a deep breath, offering them a shaky smile. The three of them were a little… Intense. Or more like a lot intense. Of course, Yuuri had known they would be – they had interrupted his and Yuuko’s fairly irregular skype calls a great number of times. Still, the reality of having three six year olds crowding around him, their perfectly identical grins both adorable and slightly terrifying, was a lot more than Yuuri had been prepared for.

“You’ve grown,” Yuuri told them, making a tentative attempt at actual conversation.

This earned him an impressively coordinated eyeroll.

“What did you think we’d do, shrink?” the girl holding Yuuri’s hand wanted to know. “Why are adults so obsessed with our height, anyway?”

“... I suppose that’s a fair question.”

“You haven’t seen them since you left for America, right Yuuri?” Yuuko recalled. “We came home to Hasetsu for a visit, right before. The girls must have been two years old at the time.”

“We’re right _here_ , mom, you shouldn’t talk about someone who’s right here.”

“Mom, we _are_ going to the park tomorrow, aren’t we? You promised we’d go.”

“Yes, Loop, we’re going.” Yuuko smiled a bit apologetically towards Yuuri. “It’s actually my only day off this week, and the girls really want to go. Besides, I thought it could be fun?”

The girls immediately focused their attention back on Yuuri, their eyes wide and expectant.

Well.

“Sure,” Yuuri agreed, managing to keep his tone only a little bit hesitant. “I mean, I suppose I like… Parks? And things.”

Yuuko grinned slyly.

“And _I_ like dragging you out of your comfort zone, every now and then. This should be fun _._ ”

Yuuri smiled faintly.

He had known, of course, when he had accepted Yuuko’s invitation to come and stay with her family, that this was how his summer would turn out. Because while Yuuko knew better than anyone else exactly what kinds of things made Yuuri feel anxious and uncertain, she was also alarmingly amused by the idea of challenging Yuuri’s carefully set boundaries every now and then, just to see if they were still there. And the thing was – whenever Yuuko was around, Yuuri somehow found himself a little braver than usually, a little less likely to just give up. When they were younger, Yuuko had single-handedly gotten Yuuri through each and every one of their ballet recitals, despite the fact that nothing in the whole world had scared Yuuri more.

Dinner was… A lot.

The girls spent almost the entire meal talking, alternating between telling Yuuri everything about Land of Dreams and asking Yuuri questions about living in America. Yuuri struggled to keep up, at first, until Yuuko firmly told the girls to finish their food and give Yuuri some time to eat. After dinner, both Yuuko and her husband Takeshi became quite busy trying to get three over-excited six year olds to go to bed. Yuuri quietly slipped out to the porch, eagerly taking the opportunity to get a few moments to himself.

The air was crisp outside, a faint smell of salt lingering even though you couldn’t actually see the ocean from this part of town. Yuuri took a few, quick breaths, his thoughts clearing a little. This was going to be fine. He was going to have a nice summer in this very decent town, and spend lots of time with Yuuko, and finally get to know her children. Yuuko was going to drag him to some theme park, and probably on a number of other ill-advised adventures, and it was all going to be terrifying, but fine. Just fine. In a best case scenario, Yuuri wouldn’t have any time at all to worry about what in the world he was going to do with his life, once the summer inevitably ended.

Now, if only Yuuri’s breathing could return to normal so that he could actually go back inside, that would be a _great_ start.

“Ah, Yuuri. There you are.”

Yuuko sat down next to Yuuri on the porch, pulling her knees up to her chest.

Neither of them said anything for a moment. Yuuko didn’t ask, didn’t pry. She never had, and it was one of the things Yuuri had always loved the most about her. It allowed him to speak without obsessively overthinking each and every word he said.

“I can’t tell your daughters apart.”

That made Yuuko laugh softly.

“You’ll figure it out,” she assured him. “Loop is a lot more curious than Lutz. And Axel likes to hold people’s hands.”

Yuuri frowned.

“I think they were all very curious.”

“Yes, but you’re only a novelty for so long,” Yuuko reminded him gently. “Give it a day or two. After that, the only one asking you questions will be Loop.”

“Okay.” Yuuri managed to take another deep breath. “I’m really sorry if they thought I was… Boring? Or rude.”

“Oh, sweetheart. No one thinks you’re rude.”

“Sometimes people think that.”

“I’ve told them all that you’re a bit shy,” Yuuko said, her tone very firm. “So they knew what to expect, and that you’ll probably be more open to talking to them after a while. Besides, I can tell that they already like you.”

“You think so?”

“I’d like to think I know my own children.” Yuuko smiled towards him. “Now come on, we should go to bed. You must be tired, and I have a feeling we have a very long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

Yuuri nodded – because he really was feeling exceptionally tired. As they both got up, Yuuko’s steadying hand placed firmly on his shoulder, he found that he was actually able to breathe calmly once more.

***

The triplets made a valiant effort to make everyone in the house get up before five in the morning.

Yuuko was having none of it.

“You three do realize that Land of Dreams doesn’t actually open until ten? Every minute we stay awake right now only means that we’ll have to go home earlier because you lot will be too tired to function. _Go back to sleep!”_

At nine thirty, when the five of them actually left the house, Yuuko was already on her third cup of coffee and muttering something under her breath.

“Yuuri, do yourself a favour and think _very_ carefully before you have children,” she told him irritably as she started the truck – the triplets were singing in the backseat, loudly and slightly off key. “Because you can’t change your mind, after. You really can’t. Even if you get three for the price of one.”

By the time they arrived at the park, Yuuko had managed to calm down slightly.

The triplets had done no such thing.

“Look, the Double Loop is already running!”

“Mom, can we please get cotton candy first? Please?”

“I want to play the plate smash game! Maybe I can finally win a flamingo!”

“Girls, try to stay together – hey, Lutz! Get back here!” Yuuko sighed, grimacing in Yuuri’s direction. “Can you watch them for a minute, while I get us tickets?”

“How about I get the tickets, instead,” Yuuri offered – because that would truly be the least he could do, even though Yuuko might try to pay him back later. “Okay?”

“Well, sure, I’ll just pay you back when we… Oi, Axel! Don’t chew on that!”

Quietly, Yuuri walked over to the tickets booths. The line wasn’t very long, and soon enough he found himself face to face with someone behind a counter – a girl with an unusually fierce look in her eyes. Her carefully polite smile certainly clashed with the rest of her expression, and her striking red hair _certainly_ clashed with the light blue, short-sleeved polo shirt she was wearing.

“Good morning and welcome to Land of Dreams,” the girl said, her strangely stoic smile actually kind of frightening. “How many?”

Yuuri blinked.

“How many what?”

“Tickets,” the girl clarified, her tone of voice suggesting that she was actively keeping herself from rolling her eyes. “This is a ticket booth. How many _tickets_.”

“Oh, uh, five?” Yuuri glanced over towards Yuuko, who was currently crouched down to listen to something one of the girls was saying. “Two adults and three children.”

“Two adults and three children, got it.” The girl clicked on something on her computer screen. “Do any of the guests in your party have a coupon, or an annual pass?”

“No,” Yuuri said. And then an idea occurred to him. “Wait. Can I get annual passes, instead?”

The girl raised her eyebrows skeptically – yet through some form of magic, her generic smile remained intact.

“You want five annual passes? Two adults, three children?”

“No – one adult, three children. And then just a regular one day ticket for me. Thank you.”

“You’re getting annual passes for everyone but _yourself?”_ the girl exclaimed, and this time her smile actually changed slightly – it widened. “Dude, why?”

“I just… This isn’t really my thing, maybe?” Yuuri managed, feeling impossibly awkward. “Sorry.”

“Well, I hope our park will be able to change your mind about that today.” The girl clickety-clicked a couple more times on her screen, and then grinned towards Yuuri. “It says your total right here. I guess you’re paying by card, huh?”

“Yes.” Yuuri popped his VISA into the terminal and tried his best to smile politely towards the girl – who was actually wearing a nametag. “Thank you, Mila. Nice shirt, by the way.”

“Actually, I hate this shirt,” Mila said cheerfully, her smile reverting back into the stiff one from before. “Okay, it looks like you’re all set. Here are your tickets, have a wonderful day in the land where dreams come true.”

“Thank you,” Yuuri repeated. “Uh, you too?”

That made Mila’s smile soften slightly. But only for a very brief moment.

“Okay, next!”

Yuuri very quickly gathered all of his tickets so he could get out of the way, and then went back to rejoin Yuuko and the girls.

“Here you go,” he mumbled, handing Yuuko the annual passes and trying his best not to look directly at her. “Should we go in, then?”

Of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy.

“Yuuri!” Yuuko exclaimed, sounding almost angry. _“What did you do?”_

“I mean, it was a really good deal.” Yuuri tried his best to to shrug casually. “And you did say you guys come here a lot.”

“Yes, but definitely not often enough to... Do you even know how much these cost?”

“It’s the least I can do,” Yuuri said firmly. “You’re letting me stay with you all summer, and I didn’t even bring a gift. So I’m getting you these now. It’s not a big deal.”

“What do you _mean_ it’s not a big deal, this is-”

“Hey, mom, can’t we just go inside now?” one of the girls interrupted, tugging on Yuuko’s hand. “Please?”

Yuuko sighed, glancing down at the annual passes once more before fixing Yuuri with a stern look.

“Fine,” she snapped. “But you and I talking about this later. Okay?”

“Yes, of course,” Yuuri agreed easily – it would be much easier to convince Yuuko to accept the passes after she’d calmed down. “Let’s go, then.”

There was a high wall that blocked most of the park itself from view, and through it there were three elegant archways that made up the park entrance. Staff members in the now familiar light blue shirts were checking tickets as visitors slowly trickled inside. The line was actually a bit shorter than Yuuri would have expected, but still long enough that the triplets had time to show him the mural that decorated the wall.

“Look, Yuuri! Isn’t it pretty?”

“It is pretty,” Yuuri agreed, looking up to properly take it all in. “Although it looks a little… Unfinished?”

The mural was painted onto the wall in bright colours. The background was blue, and there was a pattern of sorts made up of cotton candy and white balloons. In the middle, there was something written in elegant, swirly letters.

_Life is like a rollercoaster,_

 

The mural said nothing else. However, there was an empty space beneath the words, where a second line would have fit perfectly.

“It’s always been like that, from what I’ve heard,” Yuuko said, shrugging. “I personally think that comma might actually be a period that just _looks_ like a comma? But a lot of people think the sentence is incomplete.”

“Huh,” Yuuri said, his eyes lingering on the painted words. “Interesting.”

“Look! It’s our turn now!”

A _very_ energetic staff member with a red streak in his hair checked their tickets, offered them an impossibly bright smile and then they were walking inside. And suddenly, there were roller coasters _everywhere_.

“The Double Loop! Let’s go ride the Loop!”

“You only want to ride the Loop because you think it’s named after you, stupid.”

“Like you don’t want to ride it, it’s the best of the best!”

“Hey, the best of the best is the _Flip_. End of story.”

“Uh, Yuuko?” Yuuri asked, nervously pointing towards two roller coasters on their right. “Are the attractions really supposed to be so close to each other? Because _that_ looks like an accident just waiting to happen.”

The two roller coasters, one painted in dark, ominous colours and the other a crisp shade of white, literally weaved in and out between each other in a way that was equal parts confusing and terrifying, in Yuuri’s opinion. Yuuko just shrugged.

“Those are called Eros and Agape, and yes – I suppose they are unusually close. This whole park is located on an island, so I guess they do have limited space where they can put these things.”

“Oh, great, that sounds _very_ reassuring.”

Yuuko grinned slightly.

“Don’t worry about it, Yuuri. Statistically, you’re safer on any of these rides than you were in the car on our way here.”

“I don’t know about that,” Yuuri muttered, eyeing an impossibly tall roller coaster further away and quietly promising himself to never, _ever_ ride it, no matter what. “Cars don’t spin in circles. And most importantly, they don’t go _that_ high above the ground.”

“Some of these roller coasters don’t actually spin in circles the whole way through,” Yuuko pointed out cheerfully. “They just, you know, spin a little bit during the beginning and then some more towards the end.”

“Hey, mom, can we maybe go and play some games first?” one of the girls cut in – it _might_ have been Lutz, but it could just as well have been Axel.

“Games sounds like a lot more fun,” Yuuri agreed, as quickly as he possibly could. “And I’m guessing games wouldn’t be potentially lethal? Which would be pretty cool, if you ask me.”

“Oh, come on Yuuri, some of these rides are actually really awesome!” Yuuko smiled encouragingly towards him, before turning to the girls. “Besides, I honestly think it’s better that we try to get on some rides first, before the lines get too long. How about it, you three?”

The triplets cheered enthusiastically. Yuuri took a deep breath.

This whole trip might turn out to be a huge mistake on his very first day.

“You’ll be fine, Yuuri,” Yuuko reassured him again, her voice firm. “Come on, let’s go look at the kids area. I’m sure not even _you_ would completely hate getting on the Double Loop.”

The Double Loop, as it turned out, was actually… Pretty small? Definitely tiny compared to all the other roller coasters. It had a few sharp turns, but it certainly didn’t spin in circles, and most importantly it didn’t actually go more than a meter above the ground at any point.

“Okay,” Yuuri said, speaking slowly. “I never thought I’d say this, but the Double Loop… Actually looks safe?”

“Well what were you expecting, if they’re letting my six year olds on it?” Yuuko questioned, shaking her head and smiling fondly towards Yuuri. “Come on, gang! Let’s all ride this one!”

They did. And it was… Not terrible. Definitely very okay. And – the second time, when Yuuri was able to keep his eyes open for at least part of the ride – actually sort of fun?

“That swoosh at the end, it’s the best!” one of the girls gushed, and this time Yuuri was almost entirely certain that she was Loop. “Did you like it, Yuuri?”

“Sure,” Yuuri admitted. “I mean, it was… It was actually not that bad.”

“I bet you’re gonna like the Flip even more, then!” Loop told him excitedly. “You definitely have to ride it, with mom.”

“The Flip?” Yuuko repeated wearily. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, yeah? What kind of ride is it?”

“It’s all the way at the other end of the park, we’ll show you later,” Yuuko explained, smiling brightly. “Okay, girls. Should we do the Merry-Go-Round next?”

They did the Merry-Go-Round, which was fine, and after that a carousel with teacups that kept spinning around and around just a little bit too fast for Yuuri’s liking. But it was over soon enough, and after that the girls insisted on ice cream, and then cotton candy. By the time their group had made it over to the area with all the games, most of the morning had already gone by.

“Plate smash, we have to do plate smash!” one of the girls cheered, pointing towards a bright pink stall. “I want a flamingo!”

“I want two!”

“Remember, girls – we’ve never actually won a flamingo before,” Yuuko said, exchanging a fond smile with Yuuri. “But we can try again, if you want. Come on.”

As they got closer to the game, Yuuri realized that the blindingly pink colours of the stall were actually a myriad of pink flamingo plushies which were for some reason attached to almost every surface available. The wall in the back was an exception – instead it held shelves upon shelves of bright pink plates, presumably for smashing. Above the stall, there was a large sign in shiny pink letters that read _Shall We Smash?_

Well.

“Come one, come all!” the young man working in the stall called, his smile wide and infectious. “Take the challenge and see if _you_ will be the one to break our fabulous super-duper plates! Can you walk away with the grand prize? You’ll never know until you try!”

“So, the grand prize is a flamingo plushie?” Yuuri asked Yuuko as they stepped up to the game.

“Was that a question?” the staff member inquired cheerfully. “If so, the answer is yes, the grand prize _is_ a flamingo plushie. See, that’s why I’ve got all these plushies here, there are literally hundreds of them right in front of you. But sure, I suppose the prize _could_ have been a teddy bear, or something equally boring. Good thing you asked!”

“Do you actually get that question often?” Yuuri wondered hesitantly, feeling too curious not to ask.

The guy – his name tag read Phichit, Yuuri noticed – somehow smiled even wider.

“I’ve been trying to convince management that I should get a raise every time it happens, but apparently that’s not a very good way of running a business.”

Yuuri, to his own surprise, laughed.

“I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“So, can we play the game now?” Yuuko cut in, looking from Yuuri to Phichit with raised eyebrows and a very amused grin.

“Of course, of course!” Phichit exclaimed, retrieving a bowl filled with baseball-sized pink balls from beneath the counter. “Let’s get to it!”

Yuuri wished he could say he was surprised that none of them were able to smash a single plate. Still, the girls seemed to enjoy cheering each other on, and Phichit definitely did his best to entertain them. He kept up a running commentary during their whole round in a hilarious impression of an excited sports announcer, and the girls _loved_ it.

When they finished, Yuuri was smiling wider than he had all day.

“What a shame, you guys, but a great effort all around,” Phichit concluded, smiling towards them all again, his gaze for some reason lingering on Yuuri. “You could always go for another round? If you want one more shot at taking home the grand prize!”

Yuuri wasn’t entirely sure if he agreed with Phichit’s definition of a grand prize _._ Then again, Phichit looked remarkably comfortable in his decidedly tacky work uniform, so maybe his taste wasn’t that great in general. This uniform was actually a little different from the one worn by the park entrance staff members, Yuuri noticed – it was the exact same shade of blue, but instead of a polo shirt it was some sort of jacket with brass buttons and a rather questionable ornamental fringe cascading down from the shoulders. It definitely wasn’t something anyone with eyes would have chosen to wear themselves, but the way Phichit carried himself in it actually made it look unexpectedly passable.

Phichit was still smiling sort of hopefully towards Yuuri. Yuuri smiled back, just a little, but firmly shook his head. They had already spent more than enough money on an impossible-to-beat game for one day.

“I think we’d better get going,” Yuuko agreed. “We still need to get on the last few rides. Right, girls?”

“Yes! We should all go ride the Grand Prix, that’d be fun.”

“No, no, the Flip! It’s _got_ to be the Flip, it’s right over there! Can’t you please ride it, mom? _Please?”_

Yuuko laughed. And for some reason, she turned to fix her eyes on Yuuri.

Yuuri did not have a good feeling about this.

“Sure, I can ride the Flip,” Yuuko said, tilting her head a little. “But I think the real question is, is Yuuri here going to join me?”

“Now that sounds like a question with only one possible answer!” Phichit chimed in enthusiastically, because apparently the entire universe was conspiring against Yuuri today.

“Uh,” Yuuri said eloquently. “So, which one is the Flip?”

“Can’t you say yes or no, first?” Yuuko asked quickly, and Yuuri _really_ didn’t like how her grin was widening. “You had fun on the Double Loop, right? The Flip is a blast, I promise.”

“Well, I don’t-”

“Oh, please Yuuri! Please!”

Suddenly, the girls were crowding in on Yuuri again, possibly closer than ever before. One of them - Axel, _definitely_ Axel – had taken Yuuri’s hand again.

“It’s so cool when mom rides it and it’d be even cooler if you ride it too!” she said, her eyes wide. “Can’t you do it just once? For us?”

“Well, why don’t you go ride it yourselves?” Yuuri suggested weakly, even though he was beginning to feel like he was fighting a losing battle. “I could watch you guys, instead. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

“Oh, we’d ride it if they’d let us, but apparently we aren’t _tall_ though.” Axel rolled her eyes. “Seriously, what is it with adults and obsessing over everyone’s height? I don’t like it!”

“See, Yuuri, even little kids want to ride it,” Yuuko argued. “Come _on_. It’ll be so much fun, okay?”

Yuuri sighed, deeply. He already knew he was going to regret this.

“Okay. Just _once_.”

The triplets cheered loudly – as did Phichit, who had apparently become as invested in Yuuri’s misery as everyone else. Yuuko, meanwhile, simply smiled widely.

“Let’s go then!” she said enthusiastically. “The Quadruple Flip is right over there. Hey, would you mind keeping an eye on my girls for a moment?”

“Wait – the _Quadruple_ Flip?” Yuuri repeated, horrified. “What’s so quadruple about it?”

“Sure thing,” Phichit answered over Yuuri’s head, his tone ever cheerful. “Have lots of fun, you two!”

“Oh, we will,” Yuuko assured him – she was already dragging Yuuri away. “Come on, it’s right this way. We just need to go up those stairs.”

“Wait, Yuuko – _wait._ Why are there stairs? Why are we going so far above the ground?”

“Trust me, Yuuri, there’s nothing to worry about.” Yuuko stopped briefly, smiling towards Yuuri and pointing at an unbelievably large construction that was looming in front of them. “It’s just up there.”

Slowly, Yuuri looked up.

“Oh,” he said, quietly. “Oh no. That’s impossible.”

The Quadruple Flip was… Tall. So very tall. If Yuuri wasn’t mistaken, this was actually the tallest roller coaster of them all – the same one that Yuuri had spotted from all the way across the park that morning and immediately decided that he would never, ever ride, no matter what.

Well.

The line to the loading platform went up several flights of stairs, and once there the actual tracks of the ride went even higher. Yuuri truly didn’t want to know what the view looked like from the tallest point of the ride, right before the roller coaster dropped for the first time.

Yuuri turned slowly to look at Yuuko. He didn’t know what to say, but apparently his expression said more than enough in itself – Yuuko’s smile immediately softened.

“Right, I guess it is pretty tall,” she said, as if she’d only just realized. “I kind of... forgot. About that.”

Yuuri stared incredulously at her.

“You _forgot?”_

“Well, it doesn’t bother me, so I don’t really think about it,” Yuuko defended herself. “But I do know it bothers you, I just didn’t actually think… Well. Should we go back?”

Yuuri hesitated.

“Axel will be disappointed, won’t she?”

“Oh, she’ll live,” Yuuko reassured him kindly. “My girls are having such an amazing day, Yuuri. I’m so glad you’re finally getting to know them.”

Yuuri nodded, slowly.

“I kind of… Don’t want to disappoint them. But I definitely can’t go on that ride.”

“Okay,” Yuuko said. “Well. There might be a middle ground.”

“There might?”

“You could come with me up to the loading platform? And then just… Step to the side, and wait until I’m back.” Yuuko’s smile was reassuring. “No one would need to know.”

Yuuri looked back up towards the platform, considering. It was a pretty decent idea. Except…

“That’s still pretty high.”

“I’ll hold your hand all the way up,” Yuuko offered. “I think you can do it, Yuuri.”

Yuuri took a deep breath.

“Okay. Let’s try.”

“That’s the spirit! All right, so we just need to go through here…”

Yuuko took Yuuri’s hand, as promised, and then they were off. Yuuri tried his best not to look down as they slowly ascended the stairs. Although of course, he kind of did have to look at his feet every now and then, to make sure he didn’t misstep. Which meant that he kept getting reminded of the fact that they were slowly but surely ending up further and further away from the ground. If only the stairs had been indoors, it would have been much easier, but unfortunately it seemed like Yuuri was completely out of luck.

At least until they reached the top of the stairs, and Yuuri found himself looking up at a pair of absolutely beautiful blue eyes.

And it wasn’t just the eyes. This person was, he was just… Yuuri didn’t have words. Maybe it was simply because Yuuri was already feeling sort of light-headed from being higher up than he’d ever had the desire to be, or maybe it was due to the fact that this man was completely breathtaking in every way Yuuri could think of. Tall, nice broad shoulders, silver hair that looked soft to the touch and fell into his eyes just the way Yuuri liked it, that _smile..._

If this was the reward for facing his fears and climbing all the way up to this godforsaken height, Yuuri might actually consider doing it again.

“Yuuri? Hey, Yuuri? You okay there?”

“Yeah,” Yuuri breathed out, his eyes still locked with the beautiful stranger. “I’m perfect.”

That made the stranger laugh softly. Even his _laugh_ was wonderful. God, how was this fair?

“Welcome to the Quadruple Flip,” the man said, his slightly accented voice smooth and pleasant. “Make sure that you have no loose objects on your person during the ride, you can leave bags and other belongings on the other side of the tracks. Please step through here.”

Yuuri nodded, still in a bit of a daze. God, the man was pretty. Pretty much perfect. Even the objectively tacky uniform seemed to compliment him better than any other employee in the park, even better than Phichit – that shade of blue was literally _perfect_ with his eyes. Maybe it had actually been designed for him?

“Yuuri! Wait up, Yuuri – you _do_ realize you’re getting on the ride, right?”

Yuuri blinked.

“What?”

“You’re getting on the ride,” Yuuko repeated. She was sitting next to him, a safety bar already pulled down over her shoulders. “You weren’t going to do that. Right?”

“No,” Yuuri said, blinking. “Oh.”

Suddenly, a safety bar was being pulled down over Yuuri’s shoulders, too.

“There you go,” said that voice again, that _perfect_ voice, and Yuuri looked up to helplessly meet those eyes. “All set. Enjoy the ride, everyone!”

The man smiled again, and for a moment Yuuri thought that he was actually looking directly at Yuuri, and no one else. Except that would have been completely ridiculous.

Suddenly, the roller coaster started to move.

Yuuri’s gaze snapped forward.

“Wait,” he said, blinking a couple of times, a feeling of dread pooling in his stomach. “What just happened?”

“A lot of things happened,” Yuuko said, through gritted teeth. “And for the next couple of minutes, you’re just going to have to be very, very brave. Okay?”

“Uh, not okay,” Yuuri glanced around himself, starting to panic for real – what had he _done?_ “Absolutely not okay at all. Is there any way to stop this thing?”

“Take my hand again,” Yuuko offered. “And close your eyes. It’ll be over before you know it.”


	2. Chapter 2

Yuuri’s legs were shaking.

“Come on,” Yuuko was saying, her tone somehow both encouraging and slightly apprehensive. “Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, that’s it. We’ll be back on the ground soon.”

“I made it?” Yuuri choked out, belatedly realizing that he was clinging to her arm. “It’s… It’s over?”

“Yes, Yuuri, you made it. You actually survived the Quadruple Flip.”

Yuuri laughed shakily.

“You always did love pulling me out of my comfort zone,” he tried to joke, despite the fact that he didn’t actually think any of this was very funny. “Except this kind of makes all the other times look like warm-up.”

“Oh no, you’re not blaming this one on  _ me,” _ Yuuko protested, her grip on Yuuri’s arm for some reason tightening. “You were the one who walked right up there and got on the roller coaster! Seriously, what were you thinking?”

“I, uh. I wasn’t?” Yuuri knew that he had probably started to blush, and unfortunately there was very little he could do about it. “It was just, you know. I was feeling a little dizzy. And a lot overwhelmed.”

Yuuko’s eyes narrowed.

“And then you decided that the Quadruple Flip would make you feel better?  _ Really?” _

Yuuri opened his mouth to say no, and then… Closed it again. Because as stupid as that sounded, Yuuri might actually end up feeling even more stupid if he told Yuuko the truth – that he had been feeling light-headed not only from the height, but even more so from losing himself in that pair of breathtaking blue eyes. One look, and Yuuri had been so,  _ so  _ gone.

“There,” Yuuko said, stopping.

Finally, they had made it all the way back down.

Yuuko still didn’t let go of Yuuri’s arm.

“Let’s work on not straying too far from your comfort zone for the rest of the summer, yeah?” Yuuko smiled towards him – fondly, and only a little bit exasperatedly. “Because I think you pretty much had enough excitement for a lifetime, just now.”

“Yes,” Yuuri agreed, as quickly as he possibly could. “Absolutely. I’m going to do my very best to not do anything that isn’t boring, or at least not very interesting.”

Yuuko laughed, shaking her head.

“Come on, then. The girls will be excited to hear all about our adventures on the Flip.”

Yuuri obediently followed Yuuko back towards Shall We Smash, where the girls were still chatting with Phichit over the counter. Yet to his own surprise, he couldn’t keep himself from turning to look back just once, his eyes lingering on the Flip. A train had just made its way over the tallest peak of the ride and was speeding towards the ground much faster than what should actually be allowed, in Yuuri’s opinion.

No, Yuuri would never find the courage to ride it again.

Blue eyes be damned.

***

The following days were, thankfully, a lot quieter than Yuuri’s first day in Northolm had been.

Yuuko was scheduled to work for the next three days. This meant that Yuuri got to visit her at work, which was actually something he’d been really looking forward to. He had always known that Yuuko was going to pursue something challenging and rewarding and uniquely her own, which was why he hadn’t been at all surprised when he heard that she had started an ice cream business. Yuuko’s shop, The Ice Castle, was situated directly opposite the entrance to Land of Dreams – truly a prime location if you wanted to attract as many passing tourists as possible.

The triplets, to noone’s great surprise, loved Yuuko’s job a  _ lot. _

“Chocolate, mom, can I have some more chocolate?” Lutz asked, her eyes wide and pleading. “It’s the best kind!”

“Sure, there’s more than enough to go around.” Yuuko scooped some more ice cream for all the girls, exchanging a smile with Yuuri when they all cheered. “So one more time, who is the coolest mom ever?”

“You, mom, definitely you!”

“I wanna be an ice cream taster when I grow up!”

“Excellent career choice, Lutz,” Yuuko agreed fondly. “Yuuri, do you want some more?”

“I don’t think I could eat more if I tried,” Yuuri confessed. “It’s all so,  _ so  _ delicious. You must get more customers than you can actually feed.”

“We get a fair amount,” Yuuko said, shrugging. “Although we honestly depend a lot on the visitors from the park, and lately there just… Hasn’t been that many? I’m not sure why.”

“Hm,” Yuuri said, glancing out through the window, over towards the park entrance. “Have they introduced any new attractions, lately?”

“I guess not. They don’t really have any space left for new attractions, though.”

“Right,” Yuuri recalled. “Theme park on an island. Limited space. That must complicate things.”

“I’m sure it does,” Yuuko agreed. “And maybe the drop in visitors is actually related to that? Remember when we went the other day, we could basically just walk right in and ride the Flip – which is their most popular attraction, no contest. And honestly, that’s a little weird. They definitely had longer lines, last season.”

Yuuri blinked, his gaze wandering over towards the park entrance again.

“Just walk right in and… And ride the Flip? Huh.”

“Well, I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to shake things up if they need to attract more visitors.” Yuuko stood up, starting to gather their empty plates. “Girls, your dad is coming to pick you up in a few, he’s going to take you to lunch and then to the beach. Yuuri, do you want to go along with them, or would you like to hang out here for the rest of the day?”

“Actually, I…” Yuuri began, only to pause for a moment. “You know, maybe I’ll go for a walk? Just around town.”

“Sure, if you want to,” Yuuko agreed easily. “I guess you haven’t really had any time to explore on your own, huh? You need a little time to yourself?”

“Yes, exactly,” Yuuri agreed quickly. “So I’ll… I’ll see you all later?”

“Sure! Enjoy yourself!”

Yuuri said a quick goodbye to the girls, who made him promise that he wouldn’t walk too far or get lost somewhere, and that they would  _ definitely _ get to see him again at dinner. Then he left, sliding the door to the shop closed behind him and taking a deep breath.

Before he could overthink things, he started making his way over to the entrance of the park.

The red-headed girl, Mila, was working behind the register again.

“Welcome to Land of Dreams,” she greeted him, plastic smile and all. “How many?”

“One ticket, please.”

“Right.” Mila clicked on something on her screen, yet her eyes stayed focused on Yuuri. “Hey, if I’m not completely mistaken, this is your second park visit in less than a week...?”

Yuuri shuffled his feet, feeling a bit awkward. All he wanted to do was get back into the park before he could change his mind about the whole thing. Surviving small talk with Mila had not been part of that plan.

“Yes, I’ve been here once before,” Yuuri told her shortly.

“Huh,” Mila said. And then she started to grin. “So, could I interest you in an annual pass this time? They’re a  _ very  _ good deal, I promise.”

“No, thank you,” Yuuri said, as politely as he was able to. “Just the one ticket. Please.”

“All right. It says your total right here.” Mila smiled sweetly towards Yuuri as he pulled out his wallet. “So, I’m assuming you’re starting to think that Land of Dreams might actually be your thing after all?”

“It’s very all right,” Yuuri said, choosing his words carefully. He didn’t like to lie, but he also didn’t want to offend Mila, if he could help it. She looked a lot like a person you really,  _ really  _ shouldn’t offend. “I really liked… The games? The games were fun.”

“Well then, I sincerely hope you get to enjoy them today,” Mila said cheerfully. “Here is your ticket, have lots of fun in the land where dreams come true. Okay, next!”

This time, Yuuri walked into the park with a purpose. He passed by the kids section entirely and walked quickly through the area with all the games, despite what he had just told Mila. However, it wasn’t until he was finally standing right by the Quadruple Flip, staring up at it, that he started to regret his decision to come back here.

The Flip was still really,  _ really  _ tall.

Maybe Blue Eyes wasn’t even working today. Or maybe there was some sort of shift rotation, so that each person worked at different roller coasters each day? Maybe Yuuri could stroll right back to the Double Loop, and find that Blue Eyes was actually over there, on the ground, where it was  _ safe.  _ Where Yuuri might actually be able to see him without risking his sanity in the process.

“Yuuri! Hey, Yuuri, right? Over here!”

Yuuri turned around.

Over at Shall We Smash, Phichit was jumping up and down, waving no less than four flamingo plushies in the air in an attempt to get Yuuri’s attention.

Reluctantly, Yuuri made his way over.

“You were here the other day, weren’t you?” Phichit asked, beaming towards Yuuri. “With those cute kids, and that lady? I’m  _ sure _ it was you.”

“Yes,” Yuuri admitted hesitantly, trying not to let his discomfort show on his face. “I was.”

“And now you’re back!” Phichit exclaimed, overjoyed. “I’m so glad! I was worried you’d never set foot here again after you came back from riding the Flip – you looked a little pale. Or maybe more like a lot pale.”

“I’m not a big fan of heights.”

“Huh,” Phichit said, his tone fascinated. “And then you chose to ride the  _ Flip?” _

Yuuri laughed nervously.

“Well, you know… The girls really wanted me to.”

“Ah,” Phichit said, his tone immediately understanding. “Your children?”

“Oh, no.” Yuuri shook his head firmly. “They’re Yuuko’s – the woman I was here with. I’m just her friend.”

“Oh, just a  _ friend,”  _ Phichit echoed, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Just a friend who thinks she’s really pretty, or…?”

“No, really just a friend,” Yuuri denied quickly. “She is happily married, and I am genuinely happy for her.”

“Aha,” Phichit said. And for some reason, he looked thrilled. “So, if you don’t mind me being a little more direct, are  _ you  _ by any chance single...?”

“I guess,” Yuuri said, shrugging. He wasn’t entirely sure where Phichit was going with this conversation – but since it was a conversation, he might as well get some useful information out of it. “Hey, do you mind if I ask you something?”

“Oh, not at all!” Phichit exclaimed, his eyes widening. “Fire away, ask me _ anything _ you want. I’m super ready.”

“Is there like… A shift rotation for who works at which roller coaster on which day, or…?”

For some reason, that made Phichit’s energy deflate entirely.

“Why, you looking for someone in particular?” he asked, his tone suddenly almost irritable. “I should have known. Obviously, you’re too good for… Well.”

“Oh, I’m not exactly looking for someone,” Yuuri quickly denied, and God, why did he always have to  _ blush? _ “I mean, I don’t even know his name. I just… Last time, I  _ saw  _ him, and… Well.”

Slowly, Phichit’s somewhat sour expression gave way to a small smile.

“All right, all  _ right.” _ Phichit sighed, deeply, yet he was still smiling. “Give me one moment to get over my own broken dreams, so that I can focus on helping you with your crush, instead. Because that is just too cute.”

“It’s not cute,” Yuuri protested, yet his tone was weak. “And there’s probably nothing you can do to help. Honestly, I don’t think anything good is ever going to come from this.”

“Oh? And why in the world not?”

“Believe me, there are a  _ lot  _ of reasons,” Yuuri assured him dryly. “I’m terribly afraid of heights, and far too shy to ever say anything to anyone I don’t really know, let alone to someone like  _ him,  _ and it’s just… I don’t see how it could ever become anything more than a completely unattainable fantasy.”

“You do realize that you’re talking to  _ me,  _ right now?” Phichit pointed out, his smile widening into an amused grin. “I think that counts as talking to someone you don’t really know.”

“Technically, you are the one talking to  _ me,”  _ Yuuri explained awkwardly. “Which is much easier. Besides, you don’t have impossibly blue eyes that make me forget my deepest fears with just  _ one  _ look. So.”

“Okay, that’s a little harsh, since I’m a total catch,” Phichit complained. “But fine, that’s whatever. If you feel this strongly about your blue-eyed prince charming after meeting him just once, I’m determined to do anything I can to help.”

“Unfortunately, I still think there’s literally nothing you can do.”

“Nonsense! Let’s be optimistic!” Phichit’s wide, excited smile was back. “So, tell me. Where did you actually meet this guy?”

Yuuri silently raised his hand, pointing towards the Quadruple Flip.

“Oh,” Phichit said. “Okay. So I can see how that would be a problem.”

Yuuri let his hand fall back to his side, sighing.

“So, is there a rotating schedule for who works at which roller coaster, or…?”

“I’m afraid not.” Phichit’s tone was sympathetic. “If your dream boyfriend worked up there last time, then you’re not going to find him anywhere else today. I’m sorry.”

“Well, at least I know now,” Yuuri said dully. “Maybe I should just leave.”

“Hey, without even riding the Flip once?” Phichit questioned – Yuuri grimaced. “Come on, you survived it last time!”

“Barely,” Yuuri muttered.

“But it might be worth it,” Phichit reminded him stubbornly. “What if it actually gets you the chance to talk to Mr Right? There’s barely any visitors today, so that means things should be very relaxed up there – it’s the perfect opportunity for you to make a more lasting impression. Come on, are you really going to leave without even giving it a try?”

***

It was decidedly, definitely, absolutely 100%  _ not _ worth it.

“Welcome to the Quadruple Flip,” a guy with brown eyes greeted Yuuri – perfectly fine brown eyes, sure, but definitely not the dreamy blue that Yuuri had been so desperately hoping for. “Make sure that you have no loose objects on your person during the ride, you can leave bags and other belongings on the other side of the tracks. Please step through here.”

“Oh,” Yuuri mumbled. “Actually, you know what, I might just skip-”

“Here,” a familiar voice said behind him – smooth and pleasant and slightly accented. “Let me help you with the safety bar.

Slowly, Yuuri turned around.

Gorgeous blue eyes met his – somehow they were even more breathtaking than Yuuri remembered them.

“Okay,” Yuuri heard himself saying, his tone sounding dazed even to his own ears. “Okay, sure. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Blue Eyes answered, a hint of a laughter in his tone. “Your first time, riding the Flip?”

“No, I’ve been on it once before. You were here.”

“Well, I’m usually here,” Blue Eyes said kindly. He was pulling down the safety bar over Yuuri’s shoulders – apparently, Yuuri was sitting down, now. Huh. “Maybe, if you come back again, I’ll still be here to help you out.”

“Yeah,” Yuuri sighed. “I’d really like that.”

The guy smiled towards him – definitely towards  _ him, _ this time, and no one else. A smile only for Yuuri.

“All right, everyone. Enjoy the ride!”

The roller coaster started moving.

Yuuri took several deep breaths, before shutting his eyes tightly.

***

When Yuuri came back to Shall We Smash, Phichit looked a lot like he would definitely have hugged him, had there not been a wide counter between them.

“Well?” he asked, his tone soft.

Slowly, Yuuri started to smile.

“Viktor. His name is Viktor.”

***

It was two more days before Yuuri found himself back in the park.

He begged off going with Yuuko to a nice beach just south of Northolm, and instead headed right over to the increasingly familiar little island filled with truly terrifying so-called entertainment. He still didn’t tell Yuuko where he was going, but then again it wasn’t like she actually asked, either.

Yuuri still couldn’t bring himself to ride the Flip more than once. It would have been too hard to work up the nerve to go up there a second time, after he’d just been reminded of exactly how horrible the whole ordeal was. Not even the thought of seeing Viktor’s gorgeous blue eyes again was enough to tempt him.

At least not until the next day.

***

“So, you've come here four days out of seven, this past week,” Mila said, her expression completely unimpressed. “And you're  _ still _ not going to get an annual pass?”

Yuuri shook his head.

“That would feel a bit silly, I think? And unnecessary. I haven't even stayed for that long, each time.”

“We still charge you full admission, in case you hadn't noticed!” Mila pointed out, her tone incredulous. “Seriously, dude, you're wasting so much money.”

Yuuri smiled apologetically towards her.

“So can I buy my one-day ticket, or…?”

“Fine!” Mila snapped. “Do what you want, see if I care. Now pay up and move along.”

_ *** _

“Hey, don’t look behind you – I said  _ don’t _ look, all right? Just, like… Stare casually. See that old man over there, on the bench?”

Yuuri glanced over as casually as he possibly could in the direction Phichit had nodded. Sure enough, there was an old man sitting on a bench. He was alone, and perhaps dressed a bit too formally for a visit to an amusement park – his elegant, black fedora made him stand out quite a bit.

“He’s one of the regulars.” Phichit’s tone was low, secretive. “He comes here every single day of the summer season, and apparently he’s here for the special Halloween and Christmas events, too.”

“Really,” Yuuri said, glancing curiously towards the man. “How do you know?”

“Everyone who works here knows of him,” Phichit said, shrugging. “There’s him, and an old lady who shows up every day around lunch to ride the spinning teacups, and this woman in her thirties who plays the basketball game six times every night. They three of them make up the regulars club.”

“So, they all know each other?”

“God, I hope not.” For some reason, Phichit shuddered. “That much crazy in one place would never end well. No, that’s just what we call them.”

“Huh.” Yuuri dared one more glance in the old man’s direction. “I don’t think he looks all that crazy.”

If anything, the man in the black fedora looked very,  _ very  _ tired. Almost as though he’d suffered through a lifetime of various kinds of trouble, and was more than ready to let someone else take it all on, instead.

… Although that certainly didn’t explain his frequent visits to a place like Land of Dreams. If he was actually looking for some peace and quiet, wouldn’t anywhere else have been better?

“You have to be some kind of crazy if you spend the final years of your life visiting the same amusement park every single day, all alone,” Phichit said decisively, and okay, Yuuri couldn't actually disagree with that.

***

“You must _ really _ love the Flip,” Viktor commented one afternoon, as he double-checked Yuuri’s safety bar once again. “But I guess there’s just a lot to love, right? It’s an absolutely spectacular roller coaster.”

“Spectacular,” Yuuri echoed, feeling more than a little hysterical. “I’m, uh. I’m not sure if that’s the right word.”

“No?” Unfortunately, Viktor looked genuinely curious. “How would you describe it, then?”

“Maybe I’m just here for the company,” Yuuri tried to joke, his voice trembling and his forced smile barely holding up. “Didn’t think of that, did you?”

For some reason, that made Viktor laugh.

“That’s very funny, but you’re not fooling me that easily – I definitely know a true roller coaster enthusiast when I see one! Now, off you go. Enjoy the ride, everyone!”

As the Flip started moving, once again pulling Yuuri higher and higher up towards his impending doom, Yuuri had never, ever felt so miserable.

***

“So, have you even  _ tried  _ any of our other attractions?” Phichit questioned.

It was a late morning, when the park had only just opened. Yuuri was going to have to leave within forty-five minutes – he was joining Yuuko for lunch at a little fish restaurant over by the harbour. This meant that he had even less time than usually to find the courage to ride the Flip.

“I tried the Double Loop on my first visit here, and a few of the other rides for kids,” Yuuri told Phichit. “I don’t really think I would enjoy any of the other roller coasters, though. I mean, I don’t exactly  _ enjoy _ the Flip.”

“But this park is made up of so much more than just roller coasters and games!” Phichit reminded Yuuri, his smile encouraging. “And you’re spending so much time here – you come by almost daily yet you only ever go on one ride. You should give our other things a chance, at least. Maybe you’d really like the haunted mansion, or the evening show!”

“There’s a haunted mansion?”

“Carabosse Cabin,” Phichit said, gesturing eagerly towards a corner of the park that Yuuri had never set foot in. “It’s pretty fun and actually not that scary, but don’t ever tell Georgi I said that.”

“Georgi?”

“Oh, I haven’t mentioned him? He’s the cabin witch.”

“But he’s not a real witch,” Yuuri said, frowning when Phichit just smiled widely. “I mean, he can’t be an  _ actual  _ witch. Right?”

“No, he’s not a real witch,” Phichit conceded. “But be careful not to say that to his face. Georgi takes his role very,  _ very  _ seriously.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Yuuri agreed, even though he was fairly certain that he wasn’t actually going to meet Georgi, ever. Unless Georgi started working at the Quadruple Flip. “So, there’s an evening show?”

“What, you haven’t even heard of it?”

“I’m always back at Yuuko’s place in the evenings,” Yuuri reminded Phichit. “It’s not like I’ve had the chance to see it.”

“But the evening show is the coolest!” Phichit exclaimed, his expression lighting up even more than usually. “That’s actually the role I originally applied for, but I was assigned to this game instead. Not that Shall We Smash isn’t fabulous, but man, the nighttime entertainment… That’s something else.”

“You obviously love it a lot,” Yuuri concluded, unable to keep himself from smiling at Phichit’s seemingly unlimited enthusiasm. “What is it like?”

“Why don’t you hear it from the star himself?” Phichit suggested. And suddenly, he was waving to someone behind Yuuri. “Hey, Chris! Come over here and meet Yuuri!”

Yuuri turned around.

A tall, blonde man dressed in a tight spandex outfit covered by an outrageous amount of sequins was making his way over towards them. He looked very,  _ very _ confident, and there was something about the way he fixed his eyes right on Yuuri that made Yuuri feel more than a little bit uncomfortable.

“I can’t stay too long, rehearsal is about to start,” Chris greeted them, his eyes still locked on Yuuri. “So.  _ This  _ is the famous Yuuri Katsuki.”

Yuuri froze.

It had been a long time since someone had recognized him, but it did still happen from time to time. Although Yuuri had hoped that he would be spared from it in a small, quiet place like Northolm. Apparently, that had been wishful thinking.

“Aw, I don’t talk about him that much, do I?” Phichit questioned cheerfully.

Chris smiled smugly, which could not be a good sign. Yuuri took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation that was sure to follow.

“Actually, you literally talk about Yuuri all the time,” Chris told Phichit pleasantly. “Although you're certainly not the only one of our friends who does.”

… Wait. What?

Had someone else recognized Yuuri, too?

“Did Mila mention me?” Yuuri asked, because unfortunately that was the only explanation he could think of that didn’t involve all of Northolm knowing who he was. “Whatever she said, I'm sure at least half of it is at least partly untrue. You know how she is.”

_ “Mila,  _ he says,” Chris repeated, both of his eyebrows raised high. “Mila, like she’s the only possible answer. Dear God.”

“... It’s not Mila?” Yuuri asked, his tone weak. “Then who… Is it everyone, or someone in particular?”

Chris turned to grin towards Phichit.

“So we're basically working with zero self-awareness here, right?”

“Pretty much, yeah,” Phichit agreed, with an apologetic smile towards Yuuri. “Although it's not like he can help it.”

“Uh,” Yuuri stuttered, feeling immensely confused. “Okay?”

“I like him,” Chris decided, the tone of his voice inexplicably pleased. “We should invite Yuuri to come out with us, Sunday night.”

“Oh, yeah!” Phichit agreed immediately. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

_“Wait,”_ Yuuri protested, barely able to keep up with the quick changes in conversation. “What’s happening on Sunday?”

“Sunday is when we have our staff night out, since it’s the only night when the park closes early and no one works late,” Phichit explained eagerly. “And this Sunday is going to be extra special since we’re celebrating two birthdays!”

“Oh,” Yuuri mumbled. “Well, I don’t know…”

“Please, Yuuri?” Phichit begged, his eyes wide. “I’m sure you’ll have a great time!”

“Viktor will be there,” Chris added, his smile once again very smug.

Slowly, Yuuri turned towards him.

“Really? You’re  _ sure?” _

“Completely,” Chris assured him. “Viktor told me so himself.”

“Oh,” Yuuri breathed out. His mind was spinning. “So if I come, I could… I could actually see Viktor? And not have to ride the Flip, after?”

“Oh, so  _ that’s  _ how it is.” Chris was grinning again, and for some reason he looked absolutely delighted. “Okay, this is just too precious.”

“I  _ know, _ right?” Phichit agreed empathically. “I’m living for this, seriously.”

“I’ll be there,” Yuuri interrupted them both, feeling more determined than he had in a very long time. “I’ll come.”

The other two turned to look at him, both grinning widely. Yuuri wasn’t sure which one of them looked more pleased.

***

When the front door opened and then closed softly, Yuuri didn’t even look up. Usually, no one but Yuuko would join him out on the front porch.

Yet this time, it wasn’t Yuuko.

“So,” Axel said, her tone clipped in a way that made her sound nothing like a six year old. “You’re going to miss Sunday dinner.”

Yuuri did look up, then. Axel’s expression was uncharacteristically serious.

Oh.

“Come sit down for a bit,” Yuuri suggested, trying his best to smile towards her. “It’s nice out here.”

Axel hesitated for a moment, then shuffled over, sitting down on the steps next to Yuuri.

“You didn’t answer my question,” she mumbled.

“I’m not sure if you asked a question,” Yuuri told her honestly. “But yes, I’m going to miss dinner tonight. I’m sorry.”

Axel kicked at the ground, sighing.

“Everything is more fun when you're around.”

“Really?” Yuuri asked, feeling genuinely surprised. “But I never… I usually just tag along with you all. I'm sure you have lots of fun even when I'm not here.”

“Mom smiles a lot more when you're with us. And sometimes she makes you laugh, too. That’s fun.”

“... Oh.”

Axel looked up at him, her brows furrowed.

“You didn't know that?”

“No, I didn't. Although I've recently been told that I'm not very self aware.”

Axel blinked. Twice.

“I don't know what that means.”

“That’s okay,” Yuuri said, smiling. “It's not very important.”

Axel sighed.

“Sunday dinner is  _ very  _ important.”

“Right. Of course.” Yuuri paused for a moment, thinking very quickly. “How about this - why don't you, me, Loop and Lutz all do something fun tomorrow? Just the four of us.”

“Really?” Axel asked, her eyes widening. “Without mom? We can do that?”

“We'll have to ask Yuuko,” Yuuri told her firmly. “But I'm sure she won't mind.”

Yuuko had, in fact, suggested something along those lines more than a week earlier. Yuuri hadn’t felt ready to handle the three six year olds on his own at the time, and he wasn’t quite sure whether or not he was actually ready now, either. Maybe, if he hadn’t found it so difficult to face Axel’s disappointed expression, he wouldn’t have suggested it at all.

Slowly, Axel started to smile.

“Yeah,” she said, reaching out to take Yuuri’s hand in hers. “That sounds good.”

“Okay.” Yuuri smiled, too. “Good.”

“I bet it’s going to be much,  _ much  _ more fun than whatever you’re doing tonight.”

“You know what?” Yuuri asked, looking down at his feet and trying not to think too much about the evening ahead of him. “I think you might be right.”

***

“A toast for the birthday boys! Raise your glasses, everyone, here we go!”

A lot of shouting and clinking followed this announcement. Yuuri held up his beer (his first and only of the night, if he could help it) and dutifully clinked it with Mila’s wine glass on his left, and then Chris’s vodka shot on his right. Phichit, who sat across from him, had climbed on top of his chair to properly direct the whole operation.

Yuuri wished he could say he was surprised.

“To JJ and Emil! Happy birthdays, you two! Now, let’s drink!”

Another round of cheers, followed by more clinking. Yuuri smiled a little into his beer as he took a sip.

“Those two are really quite different from each other, aren’t they?” he asked Mila, nodding towards the corner where Emil was squished in, his smile sheepish, and the chair next to him where JJ was lounging and quite literally basking in all the attention.

“They’re nothing  _ alike _ , is more like it,” Mila said, grinning. “JJ is a company member in the evening show. Emil sells cotton candy by the entrance.”

“Cotton candy?” Yuuri glanced over towards Emil again. “I think we might have stopped by his cart, on my first visit.”

“Speaking of your  _ visits, _ Yuuri,” Mila continued, pointing an unsteady finger sort of in Yuuri's direction, but actually mostly at the wall behind him. “When are you going to let me sell you an annual pass, huh? You can’t keep me waiting forever!”

“Okay, easy there,” Chris cut in, reaching out to carefully relieve Mila from her glass of wine. “How about I get you some water, yeah?”

“I don't  _ want _ water, I want more wine.”

“Tough luck, darling, we can't always get what we want.” Chris got up, patting Mila’s shoulder. “I’ll be back soon. Anyone else want some water?”

“Get a glass for me, Chris,” said a voice next to Yuuri – a very smooth,  _ very _ familiar voice. “I'm taking it easy, tonight.”

Slowly, Yuuri turned to his right.

There, in the same spot that Chris had just vacated, sat Viktor.

Yuuri forced himself to take two slow, deep breaths.

Viktor smiled tentatively towards him.

“Hi,” he said, his tone warm. “You're Yuuri. Right?”

“Oh,” Yuuri said, his voice quieter than before despite his genuine effort to not freak out. “You already know who I am.”

“Of course he does!” Phichit chimed in. Fortunately, he had sat back down on his chair like a reasonable human being. “You're one of the regulars at the park now, Yuuri!”

Yuuri immediately opened his mouth to protest - he couldn't possibly be a  _ regular, _ could he, he had barely even heard of the park a month ago! Although he had, in fact, visited the park almost every day of that month. Sometimes twice in one day.

Wait.

“Oh my God,” Yuuri heard himself saying, his tone horrified. “Phichit is  _ right.” _

That made both Viktor and Phichit laugh.

“It's not so bad, Yuuri,” Phichit assured him, even though it absolutely, definitely  _ was. _ “You're definitely my favourite member of the regulars club.”

“It’s  _ Yuuri _ with a long vowel, isn’t it?” Viktor said, blue eyes filled with something not unlike curiosity. “I like that. It's a very nice name.”

“Well,” Yuuri mumbled, not sure how to respond. “I've had it all my life, I guess.”

Viktor smiled.

“Where are you from?”

“Uh. Hasetsu?”

And just like that, Yuuri found himself telling Viktor about his childhood home, and a little about his family, and a lot about the time when he decided to attend university abroad. He couldn't remember the last time he had talked this much about himself, but something about Viktor's strangely fascinated expression made it too tempting not to continue.

“So you moved to Detroit,” Viktor said, tilting his head a little. “What did you major in?”

“Business management, with a minor in English. I graduated this spring.”

“Wow!” Viktor exclaimed, despite the fact that no part of that statement had been very spectacular. “And now you’re here, with us.”

“I guess I am.” Yuuri smiled timidly. “For a while, at least. Eventually, I’ll have to figure out something else to do.”

“I suppose that’s life, right?” Viktor said, placing a finger on his mouth in thought (in a most attractive and distracting way). “It really is like a roller coaster, sometimes.”

“It is, isn’t it!” Phichit agreed, grinning widely and for some reason catching Yuuri’s eye. “Always more fun when you enjoy it with someone! Don’t  _ you _ agree, Yuuri?”

“That’s your take on it?” Chris questioned, thankfully saving Yuuri from having to answer. “I wish I could say I was surprised.”

“Hey, that’s a perfectly good version!” Phichit defended himself. “What’s yours, anyway?”

Chris grinned.

“Life is like a roller coaster – if you wanna get with me, you’d better get in line.”

Even Phichit laughed at that, despite the fact that he was also frowning just a little.

“That’s not very family friendly, Chris, we can’t paint  _ that  _ on the mural.”

“Then I guess my version is out, too,” Mila cut in, looking a little bit less inebriated than before, but only a  _ little  _ bit. “Life is full of ups and downs and there’s never enough wine. Just like a roller coaster. No wine there.”

“I’m truly proud of you for that one, Mila,” Chris said, smiling widely towards her. “How’s that glass of water treating you?”

“Fuck you too, Chris.”

“Not tonight, you won’t.”

“Do you have a version yet, Yuuri?” Viktor asked, that strangely curious look back in his eyes.

“Oh, me?” Yuuri laughed lightly. “Not really. I’ve never even thought about it.”

“Maybe you’ll come up with something before the summer ends, that’s how it usually goes,” Viktor told him kindly. “You’ll be here until then, right?”

“Yes,” Yuuri said breathlessly. “I will.”

Viktor smiled again, and this time there was something surprisingly hopeful in his expression.

“Then we should spend some time together!” he suggested eagerly. “Don’t you think?”

“Uh,” Yuuri said intelligently, his brain completely short-circuiting. “Time, together. You and me?”

“That was the idea, yes,” Viktor said, tilting his head as he studied Yuuri’s expression. “You’re surprised?”

“That’s one word for it.” Yuuri took a deep breath, before nodding quickly. “I… Yeah. Yes. That sounds good?”

“Great,” Viktor said, sounding very pleased. “Perfect! Can I have your number, then?”

“Yes. Of course.”

Yuuri tried very hard not to look at anyone else as he carefully wrote his number down on a napkin and gave it to Viktor. He was pretty sure Chris was grinning widely, and he didn’t even want to know what Phichit’s expression looked like.

“So, I’ll call you,” Viktor said, carefully pocketing the napkin. “If that’s all right?”

Yuuri swallowed.

“Yes. That sounds perfect.”

***

The following day, Yuuri took the triplets to the park.

Yuuko had been beyond thrilled when Yuuri had suggested it to her the night before, once he’d finally made it back home.

“Oh, Loop will be so happy!” she gushed, smiling warmly towards Yuuri across the kitchen table. “And Axel and Lutz, of course, they all love the park so much. Of course you can take them, Yuuri.”

“Okay, then.” Yuuri took a deep, steadying breath. “I just hope I can handle it, somehow.”

“I’m sure you’ll be just fine, they know you so much better now,” Yuuko reassured him. “How was your night, by the way? Did you find something fun to do?”

Yuuri took another deep breath. And then another.

“Actually,” he began, steeling himself. “I think I’ve made some new friends?”

“Oh, really?” Yuuko asked, looking genuinely surprised. “Just like that?”

“I mean, it’s been happening for a little while, maybe.” Yuuri looked down at his hands, clasping them a little tighter together to keep them from shaking. “But I think we might actually be friends, now.”

“Well, that’s wonderful!” Yuuko said, her expression both fond and actually sort of proud. “Are you sure you don’t want to meet up with them tomorrow, then? You can take the triplets to the park some other time, if that’s better.”

“No,” Yuuri said immediately. “I already promised Axel I’d spend the day with the three of them. Since I wasn’t here, tonight.”

“Oh, Yuuri.” Yuuko’s smile was still fond, yet also just a little bit sad. “It may not always seem like it, but my girls understand that you can’t actually stay here and live with us forever. You do know that, don’t you? You won’t always have time for them the way you do now, and that’s completely okay.”

“No, I know that,” Yuuri said quickly. “I really do. I’m not sure if I like it, but I do know that’s how things are.”

“Well,” Yuuko said, tilting her head. “Maybe that is actually something you should think about? If you don’t like it, I mean. Then maybe, in the long run, you should do something about that.”

Yuuri didn’t have the heart to tell her that he had far too many things to try and figure out, already.

Now, as he made his way up to the familiar park entrance, Axel, Lutz and Loop bouncing with excitement in front of him, he thankfully didn’t really have the time to think much at all.

“The Double Loop, let’s go ride the Loop!” Loop cheered. “Yuuri, can we go in now?”

“I just need a ticket, first,” Yuuri told her. “You three have to come with me, it’s right over here.”

Of course, Mila was working behind the register again. She looked a little less focused than usually and there were several empty cups of coffee sitting by the side of the counter, but other than that Yuuri would never have guessed what she’d been up to last night, had he not been there himself.

“Morning,” she greeted him, and okay, her voice actually gave it away completely. “You look unfairly chipper today.”

“That’s not your usual script,” Yuuri told her, smiling a little when Mila rolled her eyes towards him. “I’d like one ticket, please. These three have annual passes.”

“Right,” Mila said, already clicking on her screen. “And  _ you’re _ not getting an annual pass, I’m assuming?”

“Not today, I’m not.”

“Why would Yuuri get an annual pass?” Axel asked, frowning. “He doesn’t even-”

“There, I’ve paid.” Yuuri interrupted, quickly putting his card away. “My ticket, Mila?”

“You’re in a hurry today,” Mila remarked, handing him his ticket and his receipt. “Go on, then. Tell Viktor I said hi.”

That made Yuuri blush, even as he tried to focus on herding the girls over towards the entrance of the park. Maybe he hadn’t properly taken into account just how much his future park visits would be affected by him going out drinking with the entire park staff.

“Yuuri.” Axel tugged on his hand, her eyes wide. “Who’s Viktor?”

“He’s my friend,” Yuuri told her, after a moment’s consideration. “I’m not sure if we’ll see him today, though.”

“Oh,” Axel said, and thankfully she seemed content with that explanation. “Okay.”

“Now, let’s all go inside,” Yuuri quickly continued. “What do you three want to do first?”

“Cotton candy!”

“No, the Double Loop!”

“Can’t we do plate smash first? Please, Yuuri?”

Yuuri took a deep breath. Perhaps this was actually going to be even more of a challenge than he’d first thought.

***

In the end, it was actually… Fine? Mostly.

Sure, navigating the triplet’s different demands and ideas was no walk in the park – at one point it literally involved running through the park to catch up with Lutz, who had unfortunately decided that she needed cotton candy right this  _ instance.  _ After that incident, Yuuri made sure to hold hands with two of the girls at all times and kept his eyes focused on wherever the third one had run off to.

Thankfully, once they had knocked a couple of the really important requests out of the way, the girls seemed content to go at a slower, more structured pace.

Phichit was  _ thrilled _ to see the triplets again.

“You’re back! All of you!” he cheered, waving enthusiastically towards them as they approached Shall We Smash. “Oh, but not your mom? She busy today?”

“No, but we wanted to spend time with only Yuuri,” Axel told him happily. “And he offered to take us here! Isn’t he nice?”

“Oh, he sure is,” Phichit agreed excitedly. “Yuuri is one of my nicest, bestest friends!”

“Should we, uh, play the game?” Yuuri cut in, before the conversation got even more out of hand. “Let’s try really hard to win a flamingo this time, yeah?”

The triplets cheered.

They did not win a flamingo.

“Oh, that was so much fun!” Axel squealed. “Plate smash is seriously the  _ best.” _

“It is, isn’t it!” Phichit agreed immediately. “Although I believe Yuuri here has a preference for a certain roller coaster.”

“Oh, is it the Double Loop?” Loop asked, her eyes wide. “Should we go and ride it again, Yuuri? Would that make you happy?”

“Actually, the roller coaster I was referring to is the  _ Flip,” _ Phichit corrected her, grinning widely towards Yuuri. “So? Are you going to ride it again, today?”

“Oh, please Yuuri!” Loop exclaimed. “That’d be so cool!”

“Yeah, the Flip is the best of the best, Yuuri!” Lutz cheered. “You’ll ride it, won’t you?”

“I guess I could ride it, just once,” Yuuri agreed, feeling only a little bit reluctant – he had, after all, never actually visited the park without riding the Flip. Most likely, he’d survive it one more time. “Phichit, could you-”

“Keep an eye on the girls? Sure thing!” Phichit gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up. “We’ll see you when you get back!”

***

Apparently, Viktor wasn’t working that day.

For the first time ever, Yuuri resolutely headed straight for the exit, not sparing the roller coaster itself a single glance.

***

That night after dinner, when Yuuri had just finished helping Takeshi take care of the dishes, Yuuri got a call. He fumbled to quickly pull his phone out of his pocket, his hands trembling. An unknown number.

Immediately, Yuuri made his way out to the front porch, answering the call just as he closed the door behind him.

“Hello, this is Yuuri.”

“Yuuri.” Viktor’s perfect voice was warm, welcoming. “I’m so glad you picked up.”

“Viktor,” Yuuri breathed out. “Hi. Hello.”

“How are you, Yuuri?”

“I’m… I’m good.” Yuuri cleared his throat. “How are you?”

“Just fine. I was a little busy, earlier today.”

_ But you weren’t at work, _ Yuuri didn’t say.  _ I didn’t get to see you. Even though I was brave enough, you still weren’t there. _

“I don’t have to be at work until after lunch, tomorrow,” Viktor continued, his tone hopeful. “Are you by any chance free, in the morning?”

“Yes,” Yuuri said, his voice only shaking a little bit. “Yes, Viktor. I’m free.”

“There’s a nice beach just a bit south of Northolm, near the docks. Would you maybe want to go there, with me?”

***

It was a very pretty beach.

The sand was nice and soft, and the distinct smell of salt in the air from the sea so close by actually made Yuuri feel a bit calmer about the unusual situation. And the view was… Nice. Very nice, actually.

“Most people don’t usually come here this early,” Viktor said, gesturing towards the completely empty beach around them. “But I really love to stop by here around this time, before work. It’s nice to take a breather before facing the crowds in the park.”

“I can see why you do that,” Yuuri murmured, his attention focused on the way the wind caught lightly in Viktor’s hair, ruffling it ever so slightly. It was, unsurprisingly, outrageously attractive. “It’s beautiful, here.”

“You’re actually the only person I’ve ever brought here,” Viktor continued, his tone soft. “I always come here alone.”

“Oh,” Yuuri murmured, feeling a faint blush rise on his cheeks. “Really?”

“Really,” Viktor said, smiling. “Actually, I think you might be the only person I know in Northolm who doesn’t work at Land of Dreams.”

“Wait,  _ really?” _ Yuuri asked, feeling very surprised. “Are you completely sure?”

“I honestly can’t think of anyone else.” Viktor looked a little bit embarrassed. “Although I only work at the park during the summer season, while I’m on break from university. So maybe it’s not that strange.”

“Hold on,” Yuuri said, blinking several times. “You’re a student? You?”

“I am,” Viktor said, looking a bit startled by Yuuri’s surprise. “You didn’t know that?”

“How was I supposed to know?”

“I figured Phichit might have mentioned it,” Viktor explained. “Although he’s in a different year, so I suppose he doesn’t know the rest of us quite as well as we know each other.”

“Wait,  _ wait.  _ Phichit is a student? And you go to the same university?”

“Yes?” Viktor’s tone was rather amused. “I really don’t understand how that’s never come up between you and Phichit. You two are close friends, right?”

“We are,” Yuuri told him honestly. “But we’ve mostly talked about… Well, about other things.”

“That’s kind of funny,” Viktor said, smiling again. “I honestly thought that was something you knew.”

“Which university is it?” Yuuri asked him, curious. “And what are you studying?”

“It’s the school a few miles down the coast,” Viktor said. And for some reason, he looked almost uncomfortable. “You might actually have heard of it. Rosedale?”

Oh.

Yuuri had, of course, heard of the University of Rosedale. Who hadn’t?”

“It’s sort of high ranked, isn’t it?” he said, smiling towards Viktor. “Wow, you must all be really smart.”

For some reason, that only made Viktor look  _ more  _ uncomfortable.

“Maybe some of us are. Mila, Chris and Phichit are all on full academic scholarships, and they are definitely some of the smartest people I know.”

“I see,” Yuuri said softly. “And you?”

“I’ve got an athletic scholarship,” Viktor explained, shrugging a little. “Which is another way of saying that I danced my way into one of the most competitive academic institutions in the world.”

“Oh,” Yuuri breathed out, his eyes widening. “You  _ dance.” _

“Yes,” Viktor said, and now he at least managed a small smile. “My major is modern dance, actually. That’s what I’m studying.”

“Wow,” Yuuri murmured. “I would love to see you dance sometime, Viktor.”

“Are you interested in dance, then?” Viktor asked, tilting his head curiously.

“I am,” Yuuri said eagerly. “I used to study ballet.”

“Oh.” Viktor’s expression was pleasantly surprised. “For a long time?”

“All my life, almost since before I could walk.” Yuuri smiled timidly. “But not for the past four years.”

“I see,” Viktor said, looking fascinated. “I feel like ballet would suit you really well. You certainly have the right body.”

“Oh, no, I really don’t,” Yuuri mumbled. “I gain weight far too easily.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t, with the proper training regimen.” Viktor looked Yuuri over in a way that made Yuuri avert his eyes self-consciously. “Besides, you’re obviously very lithe and flexible, and you always carry yourself so beautifully. I can’t believe I didn’t realize that you’re a dancer, before.”

“But I’m not a dancer, anymore,” Yuuri protested softly. “I gave up on it, remember? I moved to America to study business, instead.”

“Right,” Viktor said, nodding. “But you still miss it. Don’t you?”

“Well, yes,” Yuuri admitted. “Although I’m not going to take it up again. But yes, I do miss it.”

“Why did you quit?”

“I don’t like performing,” Yuuri told him honestly. “Or, well, I  _ hate  _ performing. So much. It was a little easier when I was younger, I guess, but after I was old enough to realize how many people there were in the audience it only got worse and worse.”

“That sounds really difficult,” Viktor said, his tone gentle. “Did you work on it, with your teacher?”

“Towards the end, it felt like we worked on nothing else.” Yuuri sighed. “My mom also tried to help me a lot. Maybe even a little bit too much. She actually took it harder than I did, when I finally decided to stop trying.”

“It sounds like she really believed in you,” Viktor observed, tilting his head curiously.

“She did,” Yuuri agreed. “So much. I don’t think she’s quite forgiven me for quitting, even now.”

“No?” Viktor asked, looking surprised. “But she’s your mother.”

“She is, yes,” Yuuri mumbled. “And she is someone who believes in trying your best at everything you do. She expects a lot of me and my sister, since we have a lot of opportunities just handed to us. So, when I quit… I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so disappointed.”

“But she’ll get over it,” Viktor said firmly. “Won’t she? It sounds like she cares a lot about you.”

Yuuri managed a small smile.

“I haven’t seen my family in four years.”

“... Oh. That doesn’t sound too good.”

“Well, it’s not.” Yuuri tried to shrug casually, yet unfortunately there was nothing casual about the light tremble in his voice as he continued. “My mom has a lot of ideas about what I should be focusing on, now that I won’t dance, and I just… I don’t want to do any of it. But I also don’t want to do anything else. I don’t know  _ what  _ I want, and I think that disappoints her the most of all.”

“Well,” Viktor said, his tone contemplative. “I’m sure the time will come, when you’ll know what you want to try next. And then maybe you’ll know what you want to say to your mother, too.”

Yuuri looked back up to smile slightly at Viktor.

“I hope so. Thank you, for listening.”

“Of course, Yuuri.” Viktor’s smile was warm. “So. Is there any chance I could convince you to put on a spontaneous performance, just for me?”

“No,” Yuuri said immediately, yet he was still smiling. “Although I sort of… It’s a bit silly, but when I miss ballet, it’s actually performing that I miss the most.”

“Really,” Viktor said, his tone curious. “Even though performing was also the part that made you quit in the first place? What is it that you miss, about performing?”

“I’m not even really sure,” Yuuri told him honestly. “I think I miss going through the motions of preparing a performance, for an audience. I miss choreographing and coming up with new ideas. I miss the adrenaline rush right when it’s about to begin.”

“You choreographed,” Viktor said, his tone impressed. “Wow, Yuuri. Now I’m even more curious to see you dance.”

Yuuri blushed, quickly looking down at the ground.

“I’d love to see you dance, too,” he told Viktor shyly. “Do any of the other staff members at Land of Dreams dance?”

“Only the cast of the evening show,” Viktor said, laughing lightly. “Chris has some past experience, but it’s not what he’s studying now.”

“It must be interesting, to have all your classmates also be your colleagues over the summer.”

“Interesting is one word for it,” Viktor agreed, grinning. “We’re basically even more isolated here in Northolm than we are on campus. It’s a very limited social circle for us, these three months of summer.”

“I suppose there are pros and cons, to that?”

“Oh, definitely,” Viktor said, nodding. “To be completely honest, it’s so refreshing to be talking to someone who isn’t Chris, or Mila, or Georgi, or any of the others. To be talking to you, instead.”

“Oh,” Yuuri mumbled. “Well, I’m… I’m just happy to be here. With you.”

“Good,” Viktor said, his tone very pleased. “I’m glad. And you liked coming here, to this beach? With me?”

“I did,” Yuuri told him. “It really is nice, here. It almost feels like we’re by the sea.”

“We  _ are _ by the sea, though, aren’t we?” Viktor asked, looking a bit confused. “The sea is right there, Yuuri, you can literally see it from here.”

“Yes, I know, but this is so different from an open view of the ocean.” Yuuri gestured towards the water, where three large islands dominated the skyline and even more islands could be seen further out. “In Hasetsu where I grew up, you could always see the horizon from the shore, that line where sky meets sea? And I just really miss that. I haven’t looked out at the sea ever since I left home.”

“Oh,” Viktor said. And suddenly, his tone was eager. “Okay. So, the next time I see you, I’d really like to take you somewhere else. If I may?”

***

It was a different kind of ferry from the one that Yuuri had taken to get to Northholm, almost two months ago. This one was smaller, with fewer seats and far less space for luggage, but it still had a nice little deck where you could go outside. Yuuri immediately dragged Viktor out there, standing by the railing and breathing deeply, his eyes closed.

“You like this?” Viktor asked, even though it sounded like he already knew the answer to that question.

Yuuri opened his eyes, turning to smile widely towards Viktor.

“I really, really do.”

“Good,” Viktor said, eagerly. “But just you wait until we get further out. The archipelago is actually really beautiful, when you get away from the mainland.”

They got off the ferry at the very last stop.

It was a tiny little island, especially compared to the largest islands in central Northolm. Yuuri wasn’t sure if even a single roller coaster could have fit on this one. In fact, Yuuri could actually see all the way across the island from where they were standing.

Yet more importantly, beyond the shore of the other side of the island, there was a perfect,  _ perfect  _ view of the ocean.

“This is actually the island furthest out in the archipelago,” Viktor told him excitedly. “The ferry comes back in two hours, so we have some time to explore. Fishermen used to live here, see those cottages over there? But now it’s basically deserted, except for wandering tourists like ourselves. So, where do you want-”

“Can we go over there?” Yuuri interrupted, pointing shakily towards the other side of the island. “And look at the view?”

Viktor smiled, softly.

“Okay. Let’s do that, first.”

Viktor reached out to take Yuuri’s hand, the whole motion just a little bit hesitant. Yuuri looked up to meet Viktor’s eyes for a moment, and nodded, just once.

Then he started walking, Viktor’s hand held firmly in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> any fic set during summer simply _must_ have the obligatory beach scene, I don't make the rules.
> 
> tune in next week on Thursday for the exciting final chapter where secrets are revealed, reckless decisions are made and nobody wins a pink flamingo plushie. in the meantime, feel free to come talk to me on [tumblr](http://eriskay.tumblr.com/)! ♡


	3. Chapter 3

“Oh, hey,” Phichit greeted Yuuri, his tone a bit surprised. “No plans with Viktor, today?”

“He’s working,” Yuuri said, leaning on the counter of Phichit’s stall. “And I don’t see him  _ that _ often. Do I?”

“Only every single time Viktor has a day off, and sometimes in the mornings,” Phichit reminded him, grinning. “But sure. Not that often.”

“Right,” Yuuri mumbled, sighing. “Great.”

Phichit frowned.

“Hey. Is there something wrong?”

“Not really,” Yuuri said dully. “I don’t know, I just… I feel really stupid, sometimes.”

“Okay,” Phichit said, sounding only a little bit confused. “Like when?”

“Like right now,” Yuuri told him. ”I can’t really say how any of this happened, but apparently I can actually talk to Viktor without having to ride the Quadruple Flip, now. Which should be great, right?”

“Yep, that sums it up pretty well.”

“But it’s not great,” Yuuri complained, only to immediately correct himself. “I mean, it is  _ great.  _ So great. Possibly, too great.”

“Oh,” Phichit said, realization in his tone. “As in, you actually  _ like  _ like him now, or...?”

_ “Yes,”  _ Yuuri said empathically. “I really do. And it’s honestly the worst thing ever. It’s even more frightening than riding the Flip ever was.”

“Hey, it can’t be all bad,” Phichit said, grinning slightly. “It’d be a whole lot worse if Viktor didn’t like you back.”

Yuuri froze.

“Wait. How do you know that Viktor likes me, too?”

“How do I… Isn’t it completely obvious?” Phichit was frowning. “I should hope he at least tolerates you, since you’re dating and all.”

Yuuri stared at him, blinking. His expression was completely blank.

“You are dating,” Phichit repeated, speaking slowly. “Right? You two go on dates all the time, I haven’t imagined this.”

“Uh,” Yuuri said intelligently. “Those were  _ dates?” _

“Jesus Christ,” Phichit exclaimed. “Holy shit. What in the name of fuck.”

“No, seriously, I don’t think Viktor thinks of them as dates,” Yuuri quickly protested, his tone urgent. “I mean, he’s just being really nice to me. Isn’t he?”

“Because he’s dating you!” Phichit nearly shouted. “I would do  _ all  _ of those things for you if  _ we  _ were dating, that’s just what it means to be dating.”

Yuuri frowned.

“You wouldn’t actually date  _ me,  _ though. Right?”

Phichit gaped at him.

“I literally asked you if you were single when we first met. Remember that, Yuuri? That happened.”

“Well, yes,” Yuuri said, smiling a little. “But you were just making conversation. It’s not like you actually wanted to go out with me.”

“What,” Phichit said, his tone flat. “Oh my God, why are you like this? How can anyone be this oblivious?”

“Wait, what? What do you mean? Phichit?”

“... I think I need to go lie down.”

***

“Hi,” Viktor greeted Yuuri, still in his park uniform. “I just need to go and change out of this. I’ll be right back, okay?”

“Okay,” Yuuri said, entirely distracted by how the polo shirt really brought out the blue in Viktor’s eyes. Maybe he should actually go back to riding the Flip, every now and then. “I’ll see you soon.”

Viktor was back in less than five minutes.

“What do you want to do, tonight?” he asked, immediately taking Yuuri’s hand in his. “Go somewhere around town? Or maybe we could hang out here, for a while?”

“Maybe, yes,” Yuuri agreed. “We’ve never actually visited the park together.”

“Then let’s do that!” Viktor said eagerly. “What do you want to ride first? The Flip?”

“Uh, no,” Yuuri said quickly. “How about… Something else, maybe?”

“The Grand Prix is pretty fun, too.”

“Yes,” Yuuri agreed immediately, even though he didn’t actually know which ride that was. “That sounds better.”

The Grand Prix, as it turned out, was the ferris wheel. And while it was at least one of the calmer rides in the whole park, it was unfortunately very, very tall.

Although not  _ quite  _ as tall as the Flip. Which Yuuri had survived on an almost daily basis for a considerable time. So it should be just fine.

Right?

(It was not fine.)

When their gondola was about halfway to the highest point, Viktor had already started to look more than a little bit concerned.

“Yuuri, are you quite all right?” he wondered, his grip on Yuuri’s hand firmer than usually. “Maybe we should get you something to drink after this.”

“That would be nice,” Yuuri mumbled, trying his best to not look down. “Viktor, could you…”

“Yes?”

“Distract me,” Yuuri settled on, looking directly at Viktor. “Please?”

Viktor blinked, clearly surprised.

“Is it… It’s not the height, it can’t be,” he said, sounding completely certain. “Right?”

Yuuri took a deep breath.

“... It kind of is the height, actually.”

“Oh.” Viktor looked puzzled. “But you ride the Quadruple Flip all the time, and that one goes even higher. Not to mention that it spins in circles almost all the way through.”

Yuuri laughed shakily.

“Yes, I know. It’s  _ horrible.” _

“But then why do you ride it?” Viktor questioned, his tone genuinely confused. “If you don’t even like it, why?”

“I told you before, didn't I?” Yuuri said quietly. “I only ride the Flip because of the company. Because of you.”

Viktor fell silent. Yuuri took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

“You have pretty eyes,” he added, because he might as well embarrass himself properly, now that he’d started. “Really pretty. It’s the prettiest blue I’ve ever seen.”

“Really?” Viktor asked, his tone almost faint. “So, every time you came to ride the Flip, it was because… And you weren’t even…  _ Oh.” _

Viktor fell silent again. Yuuri opened his eyes briefly, just to get a look at Viktor’s expression. Viktor looked… Stunned.

Great. Now neither of them functioned.

“I think we’re sort of really high up in the air, right now,” Yuuri continued, since it didn’t seem like Viktor had much to add to the conversation at the moment. “Which I’m really trying not to think about. So, any help with that would be greatly appreciated.”

“Any help?”

Yuuri opened his eyes again, to find that Viktor had started to smile.

“Yes,” Yuuri breathed out. “Any help at all.”

“So, for example,” Viktor continued, for some reason shifting a little closer to Yuuri. “If I wanted to kiss you, right now. Would that help?”

Yuuri blinked. His mind was spinning.

“I don’t know,” he whispered. “But we could always try?”

“We could, couldn’t we,” Viktor agreed, his eyes shining. “Okay. Close your eyes for me?”

Yuuri did, then waited, his heart beating impossibly fast.

A moment later, soft lips met his.

One of Viktor’s hands reached up to cup Yuuri’s jaw, his fingers brushing lightly across Yuuri’s cheek. Yuuri wasn’t sure if he was even breathing, anymore. Somehow, the feeling wasn’t entirely unlike how he felt each time the Flip descended from it’s highest peak – that fluttering in his stomach as he fell towards an unknown something, his heart racing and his hands clenched tightly. Yet this feeling was so very different. Because while it wasn’t entirely unlike fear, it was somehow softer, rounder around the edges, warmer. Yuuri’s heart was racing not only from the idea of everything that could go wrong, but also from the thought of all the things that could go _ right. _ From the notion that maybe, just maybe, Yuuri could actually share this kiss with Viktor not only today, but tomorrow, and the day after that. Maybe he could actually have this, with Viktor.

Hope. Kissing Viktor felt like hope.

***

“And then we went into Carabosse Cabin, which wasn’t actually half as scary as I’d expected, but don’t ever tell Georgi I said that. And after that, we saw the evening show!”

“Finally!” Phichit exclaimed, clapping his hands excitedly. “And you liked it, right?”

“I liked it a lot, yes,” Yuuri agreed. “I had no idea Chris could dance like… Well, like  _ that.  _ I can’t believe he’s on an academic scholarship, and not an athletic one.”

“Maybe the fact that Chris can dance like that is the  _ whole reason _ he couldn’t get an athletic scholarship”, Phichit pointed out, grinning. “Or maybe he’s just too good at academics for the chemistry department to ever let him go.”

“Well, it was a nice show either way. The choreography was actually pretty inventive.”

“I know, it’s so cool!” Phichit gushed. “If I’d only have made the cast it would have been so much fun.”

“Maybe next year, the show could be flamingo themed,” Yuuri suggested, smiling. “And you should be right at the center of it all, soaring high above the audience in a show-stopping number with lots of pink feathers and shiny plates.”

“That is a  _ great _ idea, Yuuri, I knew I liked you for a reason!” Phichit agreed enthusiastically. “Maybe if you submit that idea to the guest service center, they might actually do it.”

“I don’t know, on second thought it might be a little over the top,” Yuuri said, taking a moment to consider it properly. “And anyway, isn’t it better to just think of everything that happens in the park as part of a performance? It might actually be really interesting if more music and dancing and things happened throughout the day. Don’t you think?”

“More music and dancing and things,” Phichit repeated, looking rather amused. “Yuuri, I love you, but I’ve got to be honest – that pitch is going to need a lot more work.”

***

Yuuri felt almost shocked when the first days of August came and went.

“Well, you’ve been here over two months, now,” Yuuko reminded him, her tone kind.

“Yes, but that means I’m leaving in only three weeks, and that’s just… Really soon. Isn’t it?”

“Maybe a little,” Yuuko agreed. “Have you started to think about making some plans, for this fall?”

“No,” Yuuri told her honestly. “But I guess I’m going to have to, sooner or later. I can’t just wander around Northolm forever, can I?”

Yuuko smiled.

“I’m sure you’ll think of something, eventually,” she reassured him. “Don’t try to force it, all right? I mean, as long as you don’t put it off until the very last minute. Because that would be pretty bad.”

Yuuri sighed, deeply.

***

“Did I ever tell you my version of the mural?”

Yuuri and Viktor were sitting together on the edge of the boardwalk near the harbour, their legs dangling freely. Across the water, there was a perfect view of the island that was home to Land of Dreams. It had to be nearing closing time in the park, but all the attractions were still running. Yuuri had just watched the Quadruple Flip drop from its highest peak yet again when Viktor spoke up.

“No, you didn't,” Yuuri said, taking a sip of his coffee and turning towards Viktor. “You have a version?”

Viktor sipped his coffee, too, and reached out his other hand to gently lace his fingers together with Yuuri’s. Yuuri smiled into his cup. It was Viktor who had insisted that they should get coffee, because apparently Yuuri just had to try this completely amazing vanilla latte from Viktor's favourite shop. Yuuri didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd honestly rather take his coffee black than drink the triple espresso with vanilla syrup and steamed milk – plus extra whip, because apparently that was necessary – that Viktor favored. However, he did find it in himself to protest when Viktor had wanted to pay for both of them. Although he hadn’t actually kept that up for very long. Because while Yuuri could certainly have paid for his own cup of Viktor’s completely ridiculous coffee order and the blueberry muffin Viktor had insisted they share and God knows whatever other spontaneous craving Viktor might fall victim too in the near future, there was something to be said for the feeling of having Viktor try to do something nice, just for Yuuri.

“No, you didn't tell me,” Yuuri said. “You have a version of the mural?”

“I do,” Viktor said. “And I actually think it’s pretty good.”

“All right, then,” Yuuri said, meeting Viktor’s eyes and smiling a little. “Feel free to impress me.”

Viktor paused, before leaning over and giving Yuuri a quick kiss on his cheek.

“Sorry, you’re just…” Viktor took a deep breath, looking away for a moment. “You’re too cute, I can’t think. Where were we?”

“The mural,” Yuuri reminded him, feeling both embarrassed and a little amused. “Your version?”

“Oh, right!” Viktor exclaimed, smiling eagerly as he continued. “You ready? Here it is. Life is like a roller coaster, every turn another surprise.”

“Oh.” Yuuri was quiet for a moment. “That is actually pretty good.”

“Isn’t it?” Viktor agreed. “I really, truly love surprises.”

“You do?”

“I do. Especially the ones I can’t spot from miles ahead.”

“... I think that’s the definition of a surprise, Viktor.”

“No, I mean – like how it was with you?” Viktor said, quickly continuing. “I kept seeing you at the park, and I was pretty intrigued because you were so  _ pretty, _ but then I actually  _ met  _ you and you were so much more than I expected, and I was surprised. Pleasantly. By you.”

“... Oh.”

Yuuri took another sip of his ridiculously sweet coffee, hoping that it would help hide his embarrassment at least a little bit.

“You are my favourite surprise, Yuuri,” Viktor added softly, because apparently he was perfectly content to keep making Yuuri blush over and over again. “You keep surprising me every single day. And I never… I want to spend as much time with you as I can. For as long as I can.”

Yuuri took a deep breath, trying not to think about the fact that the summer was almost over, and he had no idea where in the world he'd be in only a couple of weeks, when Viktor would have to go back to school.

“I want that, too,” he said instead, his tone firm. “Let’s do exactly that.”

On the other side of the water, the Quadruple Flip went over its highest peak yet again. Even from all the way across the water, Yuuri could hear the panicked yet delighted screams that followed.

“People who enjoy roller coasters are so _ weird.” _

Viktor smiled.

***

“Have you heard?” was the first thing Phichit said to Yuuri one Tuesday morning. “It’s all anyone’s talking about, of course you’ve heard. What do you think?”

“What do I think about what, exactly…?” Yuuri asked, confused. “What happened?”

“Oh, so you haven’t heard,” Phichit said, quickly continuing. “The park. It’s for sale!”

Yuuri stared at him.

“It’s  _ what?” _

“I know, it’s crazy! Who sells an amusement park?”

“Whoever currently owns it, apparently,” Yuuri pointed out, his mind reeling. “So is this related to the general lack of visitors this season, or…?”

“Oh, you know what, it could be,” Phichit said, nodding. “Actually, that makes so much sense. Why didn’t I think of that?”

“Will you guys be able to keep your jobs?”

“I mean, probably?” Phichit shrugged. “Honestly, almost all of us are seasonal workers, so it’s not such a big deal. Anyone who is a student only has a contract for about two more weeks, until the semester starts, and the sale probably won’t happen that fast.”

“Okay,” Yuuri said, nodding slowly. “That’s a good start.”

“Mila has this idea that we should all just get together and buy the place,” Phichit continued, rolling his eyes. “I doubt that we could do that even if everyone chipped in, but it’s a fun idea, isn’t it? Yuuri? Hey, Yuuri?”

“Sorry,” Yuuri said, blinking back into focus. “I got a bit distracted. I think I’m going to… I’ve got to go.”

“So soon?” Phichit asked, frowning. “But you only just got here. Did you ride the Flip, yet?”

“I’ll ride it some other time,” Yuuri told him – he had already started making his way back towards the park entrance. “If you see Viktor, tell him I said hi, okay?”

Then he left without another look back.

As soon as Yuuri had made it out of the park, he found a quiet corner of the parking lot. Then he dug his phone out of his pocket.

Mari answered on the second ring.

“About time you got back in touch,” was the first thing she said, despite the fact that her tone was suspiciously warm and pleasant. “How are you, Yuuri? How’s Yuuko?”

“Yuuko is fine,” Yuuri said. “And I’m… I’m really good, actually.”

“Yeah?” Mari said, and Yuuri could actually hear the smile in her voice. “Northolm treating you alright?”

“More than all right, I think.” Yuuri took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for not calling, before.”

“That’s okay.” Mari’s tone was a little quieter, yet still perfectly understanding. “You’ve been under a lot of pressure since graduation, haven’t you? I know exactly how mom gets.”

“Speaking of mom, is she there? Can I talk to her?”

Mari paused.

“Are you sure that’s what you want, right now? She’s only going to ask you when you’re coming home. I don’t think she’s going to understand that you really won’t be moving back to Hasetsu until you’ve decided what you're doing, instead.”

“Actually, Mari, I’ve started to think about staying right here, in Northolm,” Yuuri told her. “Can I talk to mom? There are some things that I’m going to need her help with.”

“Oh,” Mari said, sounding very surprised. “That's unexpected. Well, then, what are your plans?”

“Mari, I need to speak to  _ mom. _ As soon as possible. I'll tell you all about it later, okay?”

“Well, well, look who’s all bossy these days,” Mari teased, her tone for some reason absolutely delighted. “Hold for a bit, okay? I think mom is out in the east gardens.”

The line went silent for a long while. Yuuri closed his eyes, breathing deeply in and out.

Eventually, another voice was heard.

“Yuuri!” Hiroko exclaimed loudly, her tone overjoyed. “I’m so glad you’re calling! How are you?”

“I’m good, mom. There’s something I wanted to-”

“Are you finally going to come home?” Hiroko interrupted. “It’s been so long now, Yuuri, and me and your dad both miss you so much. And your sister, too, even if she won’t actually say it.”

Some sort of protest was heard in the background.

“Actually, I might stay in Northolm a bit longer,” Yuuri told her. “Or maybe more like a lot longer. There’s something-”

“Stay in Northolm?” Hiroko repeated. “Whatever for? Really, Yuuri, you can’t keep inconveniencing the dear Yuuko like this. You had much better come home and help me and your sister with the family business.”

“Mom, I’ve already told you. I don’t think-”

“Mari is wonderful, she is,” Hiroko interrupted, her tone as stubborn as ever. “But there’s just so much to do, and I’m sure you would be just as helpful if you’d only give yourself the chance. You’re  _ bright,  _ Yuuri. Don’t let that go to waste, just because your dreams of dancing didn’t work out the way you wanted them to.”

“I’m not going to,” Yuuri told her, for what felt like the hundredth time. “But mom, there’s actually something else I wanted to discuss.”

“Oh?” his mother exclaimed, her tone genuinely surprised. “And what in the world might that be?”

“A business opportunity, actually.”

His mother was quiet for a moment.

“In Northolm, you mean?”

“Yes,” Yuuri said. “There’s an opportunity here that I think could be really good for me. And for the Katsuki Cooperation, but actually mostly for me.”

“And you expect me to what, just hand you a few hundred million yen and wish you luck?” his mother joked, yet her tone was more pleased than it had been in a very long time. “Don’t think I’ll spoil you like that just because you’re my son, Yuuri.”

“I’m not asking you to spoil me,” Yuuri told her earnestly. “This is something that I’m really interested in, but I also think it could be very profitable in a couple of years. It’s something I want to try my best at, and see what happens. If you’ll let me, that is.”

“Oh, Yuuri.” Hiroko’s tone had softened slightly. “You do know that’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, don’t you? I want you to find something that inspires you more than anything else. A new dream for you to chase after.”

“Well, this is certainly something that involves making dreams come true,” Yuuri told her, smiling a little. “And it’s something I really believe in. Something with a lot of potential.”

“Is that so?” Hiroko asked, her tone curious. “Well, let’s hear it, then. What kind of opportunity are we talking about?”

Yuuri took a deep breath, trying his best to recall his thoughts from earlier, when Phichit had told him that the park was for sale. He had seen it all so clearly, then. Almost as if things were always meant to be this way.

“I’d like to start an a company in the entertainment industry, based here in Northolm. Have you ever heard of Land of Dreams?”

***

“I have something to tell you,” Yuuri told Phichit three days later, leaning on the counter of Shall We Smash. “And you are not going to believe it.”

Phichit grinned.

“Did you and Viktor get engaged? Because I’m more than prepared to believe that – in fact, let me take the liberty to start believing it right this instance.”

“I’m not even sure if I’m actually Viktor’s boyfriend, or not,” Yuuri reminded Phichit sourly. “But never mind that. I think you’ll want to be sitting down for this.”

“And I would be, if this stall only had a  _ chair.” _ Phichit rolled his eyes. “Seriously, whoever takes over this place needs to take a good look at our working conditions.”

“No chairs,” Yuuri repeated, already making a mental note. “That’s not very good.”

“No, it’s really not.” Phichit agreed. “So I’m afraid I’ll have to remain standing for whatever you’re about to say. What’s up, my dude?”

“Okay, so,” Yuuri began, his tone more than a little bit excited. “You know that old man, in the regulars club? The one with the black fedora?”

“Well, of course I do. What about him?”

“His name is actually Yakov Feltsman,” Yuuri told Phichit, making a brief pause for effect. “And  _ he _ is the previous owner of Land of Dreams.”

Phichit stared at him.

“Wait. What?”

“He just sold it,” Yuuri explained, grinning towards Phichit. “But all this time, that old man who came here every single day, all alone, all dressed up? He actually  _ owned _ the place.”

“Really?” Phichit asked, his tone doubtful. “Don’t you think someone would have known that?”

“See, I told you that you wouldn’t believe it,” Yuuri laughed. “But it’s actually true!”

“That really is one of the craziest things I’ve ever heard,” Phichit admitted. “How did you even find out?”

“Oh, that’s simple.” Yuuri shrugged. “I bought the park, from him.”

“... You what now?”

“I bought the park,” Yuuri repeated. “So obviously, I met him when-”

“No, no, slow down,” Phichit interrupted. “And rewind. You  _ bought _ the park? You?”

“Yes,” Yuuri said. “It was a little impulsive, maybe.”

“Impulsive,” Phichit repeated, his tone incredulous. “You bought an amusement park on a whim. You bought my workplace because you felt like it.”

“Well, I didn’t buy it because it is your workplace,” Yuuri pointed out, feeling a little bit awkward. “And as CEO I doubt I’ll have a lot to do with specific people’s employments and what not. Which is a very good thing, all things considered.”

“As CEO, he says,” Phichit muttered. “Seriously, Yuuri – how could you possibly afford this?”

“Oh,” Yuuri said. “So, you don’t know who I am? I wasn’t sure.”

“What?” Phichit exclaimed. “Should I know who you are? What’s going on, Yuuri?”

“I, uh, might be the son of the founder of one of the biggest companies in Asia.” Yuuri ran a hand through his hair, smiling a bit sheepishly. “Hiroko Katsuki? And she agreed to help me start a company and fund the purchase of this park.”

“Katsuki,” Phichit repeated, his tone flat. “As in the Katsuki Corporation?  _ That  _ Katsuki Corporation?”

“Oh, good,” Yuuri said, smiling. “You do know about it.”

“Hold on, give me a moment.” Phichit was leaning heavily against the counter. His expression was incredulous. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me this before.”

“Well, it’s never come up,” Yuuri said, feeling a bit awkward. “Are you... Upset with me?”

“Not exactly.” Phichit took a deep breath. “I mean, it’s not like you’re obliged to tell everyone everything about yourself. But this might take a little getting used to.”

“Okay,” Yuuri agreed. “That’s fair.”

“Does Viktor know about your family?”

“Probably, yeah.”

Phichit’s eyes narrowed.

_ “Probably?” _

“I mean, he sort of recognized me, that night at the bar? When we first talked.” Yuuri shrugged. “And even if he didn’t, I’m sure he’s figured it out since then.”

“But have you actually mentioned it, to him?” Phichit wanted to know, his tone for some reason urgent.

“I guess not,” Yuuri admitted. “But it’s like you said – I’m not obliged to tell everyone everything about myself. Right?”

“Except when you’re someone’s  _ boyfriend, _ it might be a good idea to not keep big secrets from each other.”

“Me and Viktor haven’t said anything about boyfriends, remember?” Yuuri quickly corrected Phichit. “And like I said, I’m pretty sure Viktor already knows.”

“How can you be  _ sure _ if you haven’t actually told him?” Phichit was shaking his head. “Yuuri. What if Viktor doesn’t know?”

“Would that be so bad?” Yuuri asked hesitantly. “I mean, I could just tell him now. Right?”

“You should,” Phichit agreed, his expression serious and his tone for some reason gentle. “And when you do, remember that he might ask why you’ve kept it from him all this time. Why you didn’t trust him with it.”

“Oh,” Yuuri breathed out. “But I do. Trust Viktor, I mean. I just don’t like talking about any of this.”

“Well,” Phichit said, looking a bit weary. “Maybe you should definitely work on letting him know all of that? Before someone else does. I think he’ll probably want to hear this from you.”

“You’re right,” Yuuri agreed quietly. “I guess I’ll have to tell Viktor properly the next time I see him.”

***

Viktor stared at Chris, blinking.

“You’re joking.”

“Of course I’m not joking,” Chris said. His tone was sharp. “Viktor, are you seriously telling me that you didn’t know?”

“How was I supposed to know?!”

“Because it’s the Katsuki Corporation, they’re literally e _verywhere.”_ Chris pulled out his phone, quickly typing something into google. “Yuuri’s mom is that kick ass business lady who built her company from scratch and pushed every competitor aside in less than a decade. Here, look – _Japanese Business Empire Takes Over Chinese Market._ _The Hiroko Katsuki Story – How A Small Family Business Became The Main Distributor Across Asia.”_

“Wait,  _ that  _ Hiroko Katsuki?” Viktor exclaimed. “I think I watched, like, half a documentary about her, once.”

“Did the documentary mention her kids?” Chris asked dryly, clicking a link and handing his phone to Viktor. “Because that, right there? Is her son. Look familiar?”

Viktor’s hands trembled slightly as he took the phone from Chris. It was, unmistakably, a picture of Yuuri. Even though he didn’t look quite like himself. The formal suit and serious expression made him look very much unlike the person Viktor had gotten to know, during that summer.

Almost as if he was someone else entirely.

“I recognized Yuuri Katsuki as soon as I met him,” Chris told Viktor. “And the only reason I didn’t tell you until now was because I was certain you already knew.”

“I didn’t know,” Viktor said, his eyes still on the picture. “I had no idea.”

“So Yuuri didn’t tell you?” Chris asked, his tone a bit quieter than before.

Viktor looked down, pushing Chris’s phone back into his hands.

“No. I guess Yuuri didn’t tell me anything at all.”

“Hey, now,” Chris said gently. “Yuuri might have a good reason for that.”

“There’s an obvious one, isn’t there?” Viktor countered, going for cheerful and failing miserably. “Yuuri knows that I’m going back to school in less than two weeks. And I don’t even know where he’ll be then, but all things considered it seems unlikely that he was planning to stay in touch.”

“Viktor, no, don’t-”

“If Yuuri wanted to keep seeing me, wouldn’t he have been honest about everything from the start?” Viktor asked weakly. “I think he would. I think he would have shared it all with me, his plans to buy the park and everything else, if this thing between us was half as serious for him as it is for me.”

“We don’t actually know that Yuuri was planning on buying the park all along,” Chris pointed out carefully. “And like I said before, I don’t actually know whether or not he is the buyer. It’s just a silly rumour, Viktor.”

“It makes sense, though, doesn’t it?” Viktor mumbled miserably. “Why else would he have been hanging out at the park, all summer? Just wasting time, all on his own. Someone like him would have better things to do.”

“Well,” Chris said, his tone kind. “There is one other, possible reason. Isn’t there?”

Suddenly, Viktor’s phone buzzed. Viktor reluctantly picked it up, unlocking it.

“Oh,” he said faintly. “Yuuri wants to meet up.”

“Right now?” Chris asked. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

“Is it?”

“You obviously have a lot of questions for him,” Chris pointed out.

“I do,” Viktor admitted. “But I’m not sure if I want to know all the answers.”

“Well. What are you going to do?”

Viktor was quiet for a moment, thinking.

Then he sighed. Deeply.

“I’m going to go see him, obviously. I don’t think I could actually deny Yuuri anything, ever.”

That made Chris smile.

“Talk to him, all right? Maybe he does have a good reason for why he kept you in the dark for so long.”

***

Yuuri felt oddly nervous as he waited for Viktor to join him on the beach.

It had been a long time since he’d felt this nervous around Viktor. In the beginning, Yuuri had rarely felt anything  _ but  _ nervous, but that had thankfully gotten much easier with time. Now, Yuuri would say that Viktor was the one person he felt the most comfortable around. The one person he wanted to be with the most.

Except for right this moment. Because right now, Yuuri didn’t feel particularly comfortable. Mostly, he’d say he felt vaguely nauseous.

At least he was as prepared as he’d ever be. He’d laid out a nice blanked, and bought coffee for both of them, and the black folder he was hoping to share with Viktor if everything went well was securely in his backpack.

When Viktor finally arrived, he looked a bit… Different, than usually. More serious?

Oh, no. Not good.

What if Viktor was mad at him already?

“Hi,” Yuuri said, getting to his feet and barely meeting Viktor’s eyes. “I got you coffee.”

“Thank you, Yuuri.”

At least Viktor’s tone was warm. Yuuri watched as Viktor took a careful sip from his paper cup. And then Viktor smiled towards him.

“Triple espresso with vanilla syrup and steamed milk?”

“Plus extra whip,” Yuuri said, offering a hesitant smile in return. “What else would I get you?”

“That’s a good question,” Viktor agreed. “Should we sit down?”

“Yes. Viktor, I… There are some things I need to talk to you about.”

They sat down. Viktor took a long sip of his coffee, before speaking.

“Does this have anything to do with the fact that you’re the son of Hiroko Katsuki? And that you’re possibly buying Land of Dreams?”

Yuuri choked on his coffee, coughing violently.

“Oh, careful there.” Viktor put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry for startling you like that, Yuuri.”

“No, it’s all right,” Yuuri rasped out, still coughing between syllables. “I just wasn’t sure if you… If you knew about that, or not. But, uh. I guess you know, then?”

“As of two hours ago, yes.” Viktor was watching Yuuri closely, his expression carefully neutral. “Chris told me.”

“Oh,” Yuuri said faintly. “So, Chris knows. Okay.”

“Actually, Yuuri, I think almost everyone knows by now.” At least Viktor’s tone was kind. “Especially with the rumour about you buying the park.”

“... There’s a rumour about that?”

“Mila says that Georgi says that JJ has it on very good authority that you are, in fact, buying Land of Dreams. Although you should know that JJ never has  _ anything  _ on good authority.”

“Well, he’s actually not wrong this time.” Yuuri took a deep breath. “I have bought the park. We signed everything this morning.”

Viktor nodded, his expression still ominously unreadable.

“Can I ask… Why?”

“Because I think I can make the park better,” Yuuri said, his tone quiet but firm. “In fact, I’m really excited about the idea of making it better. I haven’t felt as strongly about anything in years, not since I quit dancing. So I think I have to give this a try.”

“Were you planning on buying it, all along?” Viktor asked, speaking slowly. “Is that why you came here, this summer?”

“No,” Yuuri said, shaking his head and actually smiling a little. “Viktor, I came to Northolm this summer because I literally had nowhere else to go. Or well, I guess I could have gone home, but I really didn’t want to. My mom would have tried to convince me to join our family’s company and I didn’t want to do that. When Yuuko asked me to come and stay with her for a few months, it seemed like a much better option.”

“But aren’t you sort of becoming part of your family’s business, now?” Viktor wondered. “By becoming the owner of Land of Dreams, I mean.”

“I guess, but this is completely on my own terms,” Yuuri explained. “It’s something that inspires me, something that would be my own accomplishment if it turns out well. That makes it very different.”

“Okay,” Viktor said.

His expression was still sort of… Strange, Yuuri thought. Strangely hesitant.

Or strangely nervous?

Since when did  _ Viktor _ get nervous?

“So, what now?” Viktor continued. “What are your plans?”

“Well, I’m staying in Northolm,” Yuuri told him. “Although I’m getting my own place, since this is more of a permanent arrangement. And I’ve already picked out a car.”

“A car?” Viktor repeated, raising both eyebrows. “Before you’ve even figured out where you’ll live? Why?”

Oh,  _ shit. _

“Well, I think it makes sense,” Yuuri said, trying his best to sound casual. “Doesn’t it?”

“No, not really,” Viktor said, looking both curious and a little amused. “How does it make sense?”

“Well, you know,” Yuuri mumbled. “All things considered.”

“What  _ things?” _

Yuuri took a deep breath. Apparently he wasn’t getting out of this one without explaining himself.

“The University of Rosedale is only a few miles down the coast, isn’t it?” Yuuri mumbled, pointedly not looking at Viktor. “So that means it’s no more than a forty-five minute drive, from here. Which is, you know. Really close.”

Vikor didn’t say anything for a moment. Yuuri still didn’t dare to look at him.

“Maybe that was stupid,” Yuuri added – he was definitely starting to  _ feel  _ pretty stupid, in any case. “You know what, forget about that, I haven’t even asked you-”

“You want to visit me?”

Yuuri did look up, then. Viktor’s eyes were wide. And finally, his expression was his usual, warm one, lit up by a gorgeous,  _ gorgeous  _ smile, the one that Yuuri had grown to love so much during the past few months.

“Of course I want to visit you,” Yuuri told him quietly. “Would you… Is that something you would like?”

“Yuuri, I would absolutely  _ love  _ that.” Viktor reached out to take Yuuri’s hands, holding them tightly in his. “But I didn’t think… I was really worried, earlier. When I realized there was so much you hadn’t told me.”

“I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you,” Yuuri told him earnestly. “It’s just… I thought you might already know. People often do. And I really don’t like bringing it up, myself.”

“It’s all right,” Viktor reassured him. “It’s fine, Yuuri. I wish you’d told me, but I’m not angry with you because you didn’t.”

“I promise I’ll tell you everything, from now on,” Yuuri said, his tone determined. “I want to share everything with you, Viktor. I want to be with you every single day from now until forever, if I can.”

“You can,” Viktor said, his tone gentle.

Yuuri blinked.

“I can? Really?”

“I told you before, didn’t I?” Viktor reminded him, his eyes shining. “I want to spend as much time with you as I can, for as long as I can. That’s how I feel, about you.”

“Oh,” Yuuri breathed out. “Okay. So, that means I can definitely visit you?”

“Yes, Yuuri,” Viktor said, laughter in his tone. “You definitely can.”

“Okay,” Yuuri said, nodding to himself. “Okay. That’s very good.”

Viktor moved a little closer to Yuuri on the blanket. Their shoulders brushed.

“You could also be my boyfriend, officially,” he said, his tone fond. “If that’s something you’d want?”

“I... Yes, Viktor. I  _ really  _ want that.”

Viktor squeezed his hands again.

“Good. Me, too.”

They were both quiet for a moment. Yuuri couldn’t seem to stop smiling. He might not be able to stop smiling for the next few years.

“So, do you have any plans for how you want to change the park, yet?” Viktor asked, his tone curious. “Or are you still thinking about different possibilities?”

“I actually wanted to show you some of it,” Yuuri said, reluctantly letting go of Viktor to reach for his backpack. “I have so much I want to do, and some of it is going to take several years before we can launch it. But there’s a few things that we will have ready in time for the start of the summer season, next year.”

“Oh, wow,” Viktor exclaimed, watching in surprise as Yuuri pulled out a black folder. “There’s paperwork already?”

“Well yes, I mean, a lot of this is already underway,” Yuuri told him eagerly. “The most important thing is that we’re going to launch a whole new lineup of daytime entertainment. I’m going to direct and choreograph that myself, actually, and I think it’s going to integrate really well with the existing attractions in the park. We’re building two new stages and tripling the number of performing cast members. We’re also refurbishing a couple of the older attractions, although that’s one of the things that are going to take some more time before it’s ready. Oh, and one of my personal favourites – for the grand re-opening next year, we’re going to finally complete the mural by the park entrance.

“Wow,” Viktor exclaimed, looking genuinely impressed. “That is a whole lot of work.”

“Yes, but we’ve got almost nine months to get it done,” Yuuri said, sounding completely confident. “There’s a lot of time. And I’m not going to do it all on my own.”

“And the mural,” Viktor continued curiously. “What is it going to say? Did you finally come up with your own version?”

“I did, actually,” Yuuri said, his hands resting on the still closed folder in his lap. “There’s a draft of what it’s going to look like, if you’d like to see it?”

Viktor hesitated for a moment.

“What if I want it to be a surprise?” he asked. “Is that okay, too?”

“Oh, of course,” Yuuri agreed fondly. “As long as you’ll come and see it for yourself, when we open?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Viktor promised him. “I have a feeling I might have a date, for that grand re-opening?”

Yuuri smiled, setting the folder aside and reaching out to take Viktor’s hands in his.

“I think that can be arranged.”

***

“So, remind me again, how do I tell them apart?”

Viktor had finished doing his hair, but was for some reason pulling at the hem of his shirt for the fifth time. Yuuri didn’t think he had ever seen Viktor look this nervous.

“You’ll learn, soon enough,” Yuuri reassured him gently. “Out of the three of them, Lutz has the biggest sweet tooth. And Axel will notice immediately if someone isn’t feeling okay.”

“I just don’t want to get it wrong,” Viktor muttered – he was still studying himself in the mirror, his expression a deep frown. “I really hope they’ll like me.”

“I think they’re all going to love you,” Yuuri told him, his tone firm. “They already know I do, and that goes a long way. Besides, even I think everyone in Yuuko’s family are pretty easy to spend time with, and I generally don’t like people very much at all.”

“You said Yuuko is like a sister to you,” Viktor said, meeting Yuuri’s eyes in the mirror. “And that’s exactly what it sounds like, when you talk about her. So I think, if she doesn’t like me, I might be in some serious trouble.”

“I think Yuuko kind of likes you already,” Yuuri confessed, stepping closer to Viktor and taking his hand. “She says I have this silly smile when I talk about you, but the thing is – she has this silly smile when she  _ listens  _ to me talk about you. I’m pretty sure she’s really happy for me. For us.”

“Well,” Viktor sighed, his tone tired – but at least he had started to smile just a bit. “I guess I should manage not to ruin that in a single evening.”

“That’s the spirit.” For some reason, Yuuri looked a little flustered as he continued. “So... Do you think we might have time for a dance, before we leave?”

“A dance?” Viktor asked, looking pleasantly surprised. “Yuuri, my dearest. Are you finally going to dance for me?”

“Actually, I kind of really want to dance  _ with _ you.” Yuuri smiled shyly. “You look really good tonight, Viktor. And in my experience, you sort of need a partner to waltz.”

“Waltz?” Viktor asked, blinking. “Not ballet, then?”

“Yes, Viktor. Waltz.” Yuuri squeezed Viktor’s hand in his, before abruptly taking a step back and pulling Viktor along, his right hand easily finding its place on Viktor’s back. “Keep up, will you?”

Viktor smiled, taking half a step back before pushing forwards, hooking his right leg around Yuuri’s knee with apparent ease.

“I will,” he said confidently, the look in his eyes challenging. “So I think the real question is, will you?”

Slowly, Yuuri started to grin.

“This isn’t a tango, Viktor.”

“Who says it isn’t?”

“I do. And I’m leading.”

“But it  _ could  _ be a tango.”

“Maybe later tonight, when we don’t need to be on time for dinner with my childhood friend and her family. Remember that?”

“Oh,” Viktor said, looking a bit sheepish. “I almost forgot.”

“Well, I did not.” Yuuri tightened his hold around Viktor just a little. “You ready?”

“I think so.” Viktor let his right leg slide back down to the floor. “Will you sweep me off my feet, my dearest Yuuri?”

Yuuri smiled.

“I intend to.”

***

The finished mural looked stunning.

The background was still blue, and the painted pattern of cotton candy and balloons had been enhanced just a little with brighter colours. Other than that, and fact that the sentence had been completed with a second line of writing, there were only a few, subtle differences. A silhouette of three little girls had been painted in the bottom right corner, each of them holding a white balloon. At the top of the mural, a flock of flying, pink flamingos was weaving in and out between balloons and cotton candy, and for some reason the silhouette of a young man was soaring right among them.

And finally, in the bottom left corner of the mural, a ship had been painted against the blue background. If you looked really closely, you could see two people standing at the front of the ship, right by the railing, holding each other’s hands. It looked almost as if the ship was sailing across the painting itself with its course set towards the middle of the mural, where the now completed sentence caught the attention of anyone who saw it.

 

_ Life is like a roller coaster, _

_ If you’re brave enough to take the ride, any dream is possible. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> many thanks again to my project partner [greygerbil](http://greygerbil.tumblr.com/) for the fantastic art, as well as to my wonderful beta who can be my amusement park date any day. ♥♥♥


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